Agency committees
Under section 24(1) of the ASEA Act, the CEO may establish committees to assist in the performance of his or her functions and the functions of the council. To support the coordination and operation of the National Strategic Plan, four committees and working groups were operating in 2016–17: the Building, Construction and Demolition Sectors Committee, the Technical Research Advisory Committee, the Asbestos Waste Working Group and the Asbestos Communications Working Group.
Building, Construction and Demolition Sectors Committee
The Building Construction and Demolition Sectors Committee (BCDS) is the agency’s primary industry consultation forum. The committee includes employer and employee representatives from industries impacted by Australia’s asbestos legacy. The BCDS provides advice to the agency on issues relating to the management of asbestos in the building, construction and demolition sectors and the implementation of the National Strategic Plan.
BCDS achievements during 2016–17 included:
- assisting in the development of an asbestos knowledge self-assessment tool including
- recommendations for targeted areas for best practice
- making recommendations to the agency to develop a suite of best practice guides for industry
- standard practices for minor works that may involve asbestos-containing materials (ACMs)
- assisting in the finalisation of the safety information for the removal of less than 10m² of non-friable
- asbestos booklet for publication
- providing advice on development of specific guidance for electricians and plumbers on working with asbestos
- providing advice on the impact of importation of asbestos-containing products and how to encourage greater awareness for workers.
The BCDS met four times during the 2016–17 year.
Technical Research Advisory Committee
The Technical Research Advisory Committee (TRAC) provides advice to the agency on technical research projects. The membership of the committee includes experts in public health, epidemiology, work health and safety and economic analysis.
Key activities included a revision of the agency's research governance, formulation of direction for research project on exposure during do-it-yourself (DIY) renovation activities, and advice and guidance on Australia’s National Asbestos Profile and the economic and social Impact of asbestos in Australia.
The committee met four times during 2016–17.
Working groups
Asbestos Waste Working Group
The Asbestos Waste Working Group (AWWG) consists of representatives from the environmental protection authorities and agencies across Australia including the Commonwealth Department of the Environment as well as state and territory bodies. The group has been convened to identify best practice for transport, storage and disposal of asbestos-containing materials, in line with deliverable 2.4 of the National Strategic Plan.
The AWWG met once in the 2016–17 year.
Asbestos Communications Working Group
The Asbestos Communications Working Group (ACWG) held its inaugural teleconference meeting in April 2017 and was established to share information about communications campaigns in the states and territories and collaborate on national asbestos awareness campaigns being developed by the agency.
The membership of the ACWG includes media and communications representatives for the state and territory workplace health and safety regulators, Safe Work Australia, Department of Health and other members as required.
The ACWG met twice in the 2016–17 year.
Secretariat support
Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities Imported Materials with Asbestos Working Group The agency is the secretariat for the Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA) Imported Materials With Asbestos Working Group which was established to deal with incidences of asbestos-containing materials being imported into Australia in contravention of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956.
The Working Group meets on an ad hoc basis to determine a course of action when asbestos-containing materials have been imported into Australia and detected in more than one jurisdiction, as outlined in the Rapid Response Protocol. The Working Group reports back to HWSA on the outcomes of discussions, through the secretariat following these instances and on a periodical basis.
The HWSA Working Group met fifteen times in the 2016–17 year (also refer Section 5).
Asbestos Support Group Network
The Asbestos Support Group Network (ASGN) is a coalition of all community-based asbestos-related
disease support groups across Australia who are mainly funded by charitable donations, grant funding and fundraising events. These groups provide assistance and support to members of the community who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease and their families and friends, which can be a traumatic time for all involved.
The network holds meetings to be kept informed about decisions made at the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Council meetings and other asbestos-related issues that arise from time to time. The agency provides secretariat support for the Network meetings including preparation and minute taking and teleconference facilities.
The ASGN met five times in the 2016–17 year.
