A man has been fined $10,000 and ordered to pay $4000 in costs for illegally removing asbestos fencing between two houses in Beckenham without the required licence.
The sole trader, Justin John Collins, pleaded guilty to carrying out the unauthorised work and was fined in the Perth Magistrates Court last Friday.
The reckless incident took place in April 2022, when Collins removed and disposed of 41 metres of asbestos fencing, misleading the property owners by claiming he was licensed to handle the hazardous removal.
After the removal, a fencing contractor installing a new fence discovered asbestos pieces in the ground and ceased work.
Collins then claimed he wasn’t responsible for removing the buried asbestos, prompting the owners to report the incident to WorkSafe WA.
With Australia having one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world, primarily due to historical asbestos exposure, WorkSafe WA advises people to exercise caution and ensure any asbestos removal is done lawfully and safely.
WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North hopes this case will send a clear warning that adequate licences are required to remove and dispose of asbestos, urging anyone engaging in asbestos removal services to do their due diligence.
“Licence holders must undertake the appropriate training and must demonstrate they have the skills to do the job safely and not endanger themselves or anyone else in the vicinity of the removal and disposal,” Ms North said.
“I’d encourage sighting of photo identification such as a driver’s licence and a check with the worker’s company to make sure the worker is actually employed by the company.”
According to the Mesothelioma in Australia 2022 report, between 700 and 800 Australians are diagnosed each year with the rare and aggressive cancer.
In 2021–22, Australia generated 1.1 million tonnes of asbestos waste, which was a 22% decrease from the previous year. However, long-term projections still indicate a rise in asbestos waste levels.
If you have information about potential unlawful asbestos removal, dumping, or similar safety issues, contact WorkSafe WA at 1300 307 877.
