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* Worldwide – World Holidays: 19 January-1 February 2014
* Australia, all ports – Asbestos on ships
DATE: January 18, 2014
COUNTRY: Worldwide
World Holidays: 19 January-1 February 2014
Public holidays around the world in the coming two weeks include the
following:
Mon 20 Jan – Martin Luther King Day (USA)
Fri 31 Jan-Tue 4 Feb – Chinese New Year
Sat 25 Jan – Egypt Revolution
Sun 26 Jan – India Republic Day (National Day)
Mon 27 Jan – Australia Day
For information about operations around the world contact the respective
GAC office. Details may be found under ‘GAC Worldwide’ at gac.com
DATE: January 18, 2014
COUNTRY: Australia
PORT: all ports
Asbestos on ships
The purpose of this Marine Notice is to draw the attention of operators and
ship owners to the ongoing prohibition of asbestos on ships, noting that
Australian law requires operators to take all reasonable steps to protect
the health and safety at work of employees and contractors.
Ships to which the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act
1993 applies
Asbestos is a hazardous substance and under the Occupational Health and
Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993 and the associated Occupational Health
and Safety (Maritime Industry) (National Standards) Regulations 2003
(Regulation 2.08 and Schedule 2, column 2) operators must ensure that
asbestos1 is not used, at a workplace under the operator’s control.
An exception has been made under the Regulations (2.08 and Schedule 2,
column 3) for ‘in situ’ asbestos. This is asbestos that has been fixed or
installed in a ship (or any other structure that forms a maritime
workplace) or a plant (or any other thing that is used in a maritime
workplace) before 31 December 2003 in such a way that it will not
constitute a risk unless the asbestos is disturbed.
In situ asbestos on ships must be appropriately identified and managed
using an asbestos management plan to assess, control and mitigate any risk
from asbestos as described in Part 2 of the Occupational Health and Safety
(Maritime Industry) (National Standards) Regulations 2003. Additional
guidance is provided in Part 8 of the Guidance on prohibition on the use of
asbestos in workplaces in the Seacare jurisdiction and Safe Work
Australia’s Code of Practice – How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the
Workplace.
Despite the above, the best outcome is the complete removal of asbestos and
asbestos containing materials from ships. Any work on the removal or
disposal of asbestos is to be done in accordance with the State or
Territory legislation. Operators and owners should contact the relevant
State or Territory Workplace Health and Safety regulator to ensure that
removal work is done as per the applicable legislation and relevant Code of
Practice.
A certificate, issued by a body holding National Association of Testing
Authorities, Australia (NATA) accreditation, should be obtained to confirm
Australian ships are ‘asbestos free’.
Operators and owners should be aware that there have been cases where
asbestos has been found in ships with ‘asbestos free’ certificates issued
outside Australia. This may be as a result of installation of spare parts
or repairs after the certificate was issued and vigilance is required.
OTHER LEGISLATION
From 1 January 2011, any new installation of materials which contain
asbestos has been prohibited for all ships, without exception, under the
Regulation 3-5.2, SOLAS Chapter II-1 (Construction – Structure, Subdivision
And Stability, Machinery and Electrical Installations). This requirement is
reflected in the Navigation Act 2012.
Additionally, any import of asbestos and asbestos containing products is
prohibited under the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956(s4C).
More information is available from the Australian Customs and Border
Protection Service.
Further guidance relating to asbestos can be accessed at:
Seacare Authority
Guidance on prohibition on the use of asbestos in workplaces in the Seacare
jurisdiction.
(http://www.seacare.gov.au/
Safe Work Australia
Code of Practice – How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace
www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/
Code of Practice – How to Safely Remove Asbestos
www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/
Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
www.customs.gov.au
(For information about operations in Australia contsact GAC Australia at
shipping.australia@gac.com)
Source: Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) Marine Notice 4/2014
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