Understanding Your Legal Duties Under South Africa’s Asbestos Abatement Regulations, 2020

⚠️ Understanding Your Legal Duties Under South Africa’s Asbestos Abatement Regulations, 2020

Asbestos is a serious occupational and environmental health risk — and one that is heavily regulated under South African law. The Asbestos Abatement Regulations, 2020, set out strict requirements for any work involving asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), including maintenance, removal, renovation, and demolition.

At Griffin Occupational Health and Safety Solutions, we provide expert guidance and documentation to ensure your asbestos-related activities are compliant from start to finish.

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✅ Before Asbestos Work Begins

You are legally obligated to follow these steps before any asbestos work starts:

• Asbestos Risk Assessment: A site-specific risk assessment must be conducted by a registered Competent Person to evaluate exposure potential and assign a risk category.
• Asbestos Inventory and Management Plan: All asbestos-containing materials must be identified, recorded in an inventory, and managed through a formal asbestos management plan.
• Plan of Work (PoW): A detailed, site-specific Plan of Work must be developed and approved by an Approved Inspection Authority (AIA). It must be signed by the client, contractor, and AIA.
• Department Notification: The Department of Employment and Labour must be notified at least 7 days before any work begins. Use the prescribed notification form.
• Medical Surveillance and Training: All workers must be certified as medically fit and have completed formal asbestos training.

🛠️ Griffin can compile your entire Plan of Work, submit required notifications, and perform risk assessments on-site.

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🏗 During Asbestos Removal

Once asbestos-related work has commenced, the law requires:

• Registered Contractors Only: Only contractors registered with the Department of Employment and Labour for Type 2 or Type 3 work may conduct removal tasks.
• Air Monitoring: An Approved Inspection Authority must carry out personal and environmental air monitoring to measure asbestos fibre concentrations.
• Prohibited Equipment: Power tools are not allowed. Only manual and wet methods may be used to prevent fibre release.
• Use of PPE: Workers must wear proper Personal Protective Equipment, and all tools, equipment, and clothing must go through decontamination.
• Waste Handling: ACMs must be securely wrapped, labelled, and stored in designated areas before being collected by a licensed hazardous waste transporter.

📋 We assist clients in coordinating site monitoring, preparing PPE protocols, and ensuring that on-site activities comply with their legal Plan of Work.

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📄 After Work is Completed

The final phase is equally important:

• Final Clearance Testing: The AIA must conduct a clearance air test to verify that fibre levels are below the legal limit of 0.01 fibres/ml.
• Clearance Certificate: A formal Asbestos Clearance Certificate must be issued before the site can be reoccupied.
• Waste Disposal Records: Asbestos waste must be disposed of at a licensed asbestos landfill, and proof of safe disposal must be documented.
• Record Retention: All monitoring reports, waste manifests, training records, and medical surveillance documents must be kept for 50 years.

🗂️ Griffin helps you compile and organize your documentation into a compliant safety file, ready for any audit or legal inspection.

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🔍 Who Must Comply?

These regulations apply to:

• Contractors
• Building owners and landlords
• Employers undertaking maintenance or renovation
• Facility managers and municipal departments

If your structure was built before 2011, there is a significant chance that asbestos may be present — and non-compliance can lead to prosecution under the OHS Act.

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🛡 Why Trust Griffin Occupational Health and Safety Solutions?

With years of experience in compliance, we help you meet all legal asbestos obligations:

• Full asbestos risk assessments
• Drafting and co-signing Plans of Work
• Department notifications and documentation
• Air monitoring coordination via trusted AIA partners
• Compliant safety file compilations

🔗 Visit our legislation library at grisk.co.za/legislation-ohs-act to download the Asbestos Abatement Regulations, 2020 and supporting documents.

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📞 Contact Griffin Today

📧 Email: info@grisk.co.za
📞 Call: 066 215 4439
🌐 Visit: www.grisk.co.za

Let us help you stay compliant, protect your workforce, and manage asbestos risks legally and effectively.