Free asbestos awareness course opens to Australians
04 Apr 2024•BlueSafe Team•Source: SafeWork NSW
SafeWork NSW, Building Commission NSW and TAFE NSW have partnered to offer a free online asbestos awareness course to the public. The two-and-a-half-hour course is aimed at anyone likely to encounter asbestos at work.
The Asbestos Awareness and Safety short course, known as a microskill, is available free to anyone in Australia for three months. Access may be extended depending on public demand.
Participants complete the course independently through the Construct NSW digital learning platform. It forms part of a broader suite of courses developed in collaboration with the Department of Customer Service and Building Commission NSW. Members of the public can register through TAFE NSW.
The initiative follows recent reports of asbestos in mulching products, which highlighted the need for accessible asbestos awareness training. The NSW Government has identified the safety of workers and the community when managing asbestos as a priority.
Completing the microskill provides asbestos awareness training, but does not replace the further training required to carry out licensed asbestos removal work.
NSW Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis backed the initiative, saying people should know how to identify asbestos and, if necessary, handle it in homes, workplaces or public places because of the serious health issues it can cause. She endorsed SafeWork’s approach to expanding community education and making the course free.
NSW Minister for Building Anoulack Chanthivong said helping develop and deliver the course was part of Building Commission NSW’s role in lifting industry skills and keeping people informed about rules and regulations that protect residents, workers and communities. He said free access offered more opportunities for small businesses and individuals to improve their understanding of asbestos risk.
NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE, and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said the announcement reflected the government’s commitment to training solutions for local communities across NSW. He said TAFE NSW’s free access would make asbestos awareness training more accessible to the community.
Head of SafeWork NSW Trent Curtin said asbestos remained in one in three Australian homes. He said making the course free and readily available would help equip people who encounter potentially hazardous asbestos with knowledge to manage the situation, and that understanding asbestos management could help protect their health and the health of others.
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