Class A Licensed Friable Removal

Friable Asbestos Removal

Friable asbestos can be crumbled, pulverised or reduced to powder by hand when dry, making it the highest-risk form of asbestos to disturb. Its removal is restricted to Class A licensed removalists under the WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) and carried out under negative pressure enclosure with mandatory air monitoring and independent clearance.

Hazclear Environmental delivers friable asbestos removal across residential, commercial and industrial sites — with every project independently cleared by a licensed asbestos assessor before any area is returned to use.

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Friable Removal Services

What Hazclear delivers for friable asbestos removal

Friable removal requires the highest level of control under Queensland WHS legislation. Hazclear manages the full scope — from Class A licensed removal through negative pressure containment, mandatory air monitoring and independent clearance certification.

Class A Licensed Removal

Friable removal is carried out under Hazclear’s Queensland Class A Asbestos Removal Licence No. 3030414, with a licensed supervisor present whenever Class A work is under way.

Negative Pressure Enclosure

Removal areas are enclosed and placed under negative pressure so far as reasonably practicable, with wet-removal methods used in accordance with the WHS Regulation.

Mandatory Air Monitoring

Air monitoring by an independent licensed asbestos assessor runs throughout Class A removal, with additional controls required from 0.01 fibres/mL and work stopped above 0.02 fibres/mL.

Independent Clearance

A licensed asbestos assessor who is not involved in Hazclear’s removal business for the project completes the visual inspection and clearance air monitoring before the area is returned to use.

Common Friable Materials

Where friable asbestos is typically found

Friable asbestos is found in a range of building materials and plant components, particularly in older commercial and industrial buildings. Any bonded material that has degraded to the point it can be crumbled by hand is also classified and treated as friable.

Degraded friable pipe lagging containing asbestos under a house

Sprayed Coatings & Pipe Lagging

Sprayed fire-proofing, pipe lagging and thermal insulation commonly found in plant rooms, ceiling cavities and mechanical areas.

Degraded Bonded Material

Bonded materials such as cement sheeting that have weathered, been fire-damaged or water-damaged to the point they crumble and no longer hold together.

Severely degraded asbestos cement sheeting treated as friable material.
Friable asbestos gasket material in an industrial plant room

Millboard, Gaskets & Rope

Millboard, asbestos rope, gaskets and packing materials found in older switchboards, boiler rooms, sub-floor areas and industrial plant.

Floor Tile Adhesive & Bitumen Backing

Black adhesive used to fix vinyl and floor tiles, and bitumen-based backing on older sheet flooring — often containing chrysotile asbestos that becomes friable when scraped or ground.

Black asbestos-containing floor tile adhesive exposed during floor removal
Loose asbestos dust and debris found in a ceiling cavity during inspection.

Loose Dust & Debris

Loose asbestos dust, fragments and debris accumulated in ceiling cavities, wall cavities, sub-floor spaces and around deteriorating asbestos materials — classified as friable regardless of the original source material.

Textured Coatings & Decorative Finishes

Textured ceiling coatings, stipple finishes and decorative wall textures that contain asbestos — become friable when sanded, scraped or mechanically disturbed during renovation.

Textured Wall coating containing asbestos on a concrete beam
Asbestos cement sheeting and low density fibre board in an older building

Asbestos Cement Sheeting & Low Density Board

Flat and corrugated asbestos cement sheeting used in walls, ceilings, eaves and wet areas, and low density board (LDB) — a softer, more porous fibre board that is more easily damaged and becomes friable when broken, water-damaged or mechanically disturbed.

Our Friable Removal Process

  • We prepare an asbestos removal control plan and notify Workplace Health and Safety Queensland at least 5 days before work commences
  • We establish a sealed negative pressure enclosure with HEPA filtration and a decontamination unit for personnel and equipment
  • We carry out the removal under continuous independent air monitoring, with additional controls required from 0.01 fibres/mL and work stopped above 0.02 fibres/mL
Active friable asbestos removal works.

Our Clearance & Closeout Process

  • An independent licensed asbestos assessor carries out the visual clearance inspection and clearance air monitoring — separate from our removal team
  • A clearance certificate is issued confirming the area is safe for reoccupation in accordance with Sections 473–474 of the WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld)
  • All regulated waste is tracked through licensed transport and disposal, with documentation provided for the project record

The highest level of asbestos control

  • Friable removal is governed by the WHS Act 2011 (Qld) and WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld).
  • All work follows the How to Safely Remove Asbestos Code of Practice 2021 (Qld).
  • Only a Class A licensed removalist is permitted to remove friable asbestos — no exceptions regardless of quantity or condition.
  • Air monitoring and clearance must be carried out by a licensed asbestos assessor who is not involved in Hazclear’s removal business for the project.
  • Airborne fibre levels are monitored throughout removal — investigation and additional controls are required from 0.01 fibres/mL and work must stop above 0.02 fibres/mL — and must be below 0.01 fibres/mL before clearance and reoccupation.
  • Workplace Health and Safety Queensland must be notified before licensed friable removal commences, generally a minimum of 5 days in advance.

Common questions (FAQ)

Friable asbestos is any asbestos-containing material that can be crumbled, pulverised or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry. This includes sprayed coatings, pipe lagging, loose insulation and asbestos rope. It also includes bonded materials such as cement sheeting that have degraded through weathering, fire damage or water damage to the point they no longer hold together. The classification matters because it determines the licence class, the level of controls and the clearance requirements under the WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld).

Friable material releases airborne fibres far more readily than intact bonded material. Because of this, the How to Safely Remove Asbestos Code of Practice 2021 requires a Class A licence, a sealed negative pressure enclosure with HEPA filtration, continuous air monitoring and an independent clearance by a licensed asbestos assessor. These controls exist because the health risk from friable asbestos exposure is significantly higher than from bonded asbestos material.

A licensed asbestos assessor who is not involved in Hazclear’s removal business for the project. This independence is required under the WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) to ensure the clearance is objective and not influenced by the removalist’s scope. Hazclear maintains this separation on every project — our assessment and clearance work is never carried out by the same team performing the removal.

In some cases, yes — if the material is in stable condition, in a location where it will not be disturbed, and can be safely managed under an asbestos management plan. However, if the material is deteriorating, will be affected by planned works, or poses an ongoing exposure risk, removal is the recommended course of action. Hazclear can assess the material and advise whether management in place or removal is the appropriate pathway.

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