Emergency guide — read before you touch anything
Damaged, storm-hit or accidentally disturbed asbestos.
Broken bonded sheets release relatively few fibres — but broken and weathered sheets, or any friable material (pipe lagging, loose-fill insulation, textured coatings), can release millions per square metre. Treat any suspect debris as asbestos until a licensed assessor tells you otherwise.
Do — first 60 minutes
- Leave the area and keep pets and children well clear (at least 10 m).
- Close windows and doors upwind, switch off any air-conditioning that draws from the area.
- If safe from a distance, gently wet the debris with a fine spray of water — do not scrub.
- Photograph the damage from a safe distance for insurance.
- Call a Class A licensed removalist for friable material, or Class B for intact broken sheets.
Don't — under any circumstances
- Do not sweep, vacuum with a domestic vacuum, or use a leaf blower.
- Do not pressure-wash the roof or the debris.
- Do not put broken sheets in a household bin or general skip.
- Do not cut, break or stack the sheets to 'tidy up'.
- Do not let insurers, tradespeople or SES volunteers move material without a licence.
State regulators & emergency lines
For an active safety risk (people exposed, debris on a school ground, road, or shared property) call your state work-health-and-safety regulator first, then a licensed removalist.
NSW
SafeWork NSW: 13 10 50 · EPA Environment Line: 131 555
VIC
WorkSafe Victoria: 1800 136 089 · EPA Victoria: 1300 372 842
QLD
Workplace Health & Safety Qld: 1300 362 128
SA
SafeWork SA: 1300 365 255 · EPA SA: (08) 8204 2004
WA
WorkSafe WA: 1300 307 877
TAS
WorkSafe Tasmania: 1300 366 322
ACT
WorkSafe ACT: 13 22 81
NT
NT WorkSafe: 1800 019 115
In a life-threatening emergency call 000. Phone numbers are current as of publication; confirm via the regulator's official website before relying on them.