Asbestos-Containing Material Window Putty/Mastic

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1 Asbestos-Containing Material Window Putty/Mastic NOTE: Any potential asbestos containing materials should be entered in the ACM site register and the information ed to Prepared by Building Research and Technical Services August

2 Window putty/mastic - potentially containing asbestos material Introduction In May 2012 the Australian Glass & Glazing Association Inc released a safety alert: In line with the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011, this alert refers to the possibility of asbestos fibres being present in putty used on steel/aluminium framed windows sealed with steel frame putty that was originally installed prior to The Australian Government, National Occupational Health and Safety Commission 2008 defines Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) as any material, object, product or debris that contains asbestos. 1 Asbestos fibres were used to reinforce window putty/mastic compounds in Australia from 1930 to Some of the major suppliers of the putty were Flintkote, Tremco Group, DAP Products Inc, Glastick Putty and Buttler Putty. 2 BMW research in response to the AGGA safety alert and has established that ACM window putty/mastic has been used to seal glass into steel and aluminium frames. Little empirical evidence exists that ACM putty was used for wood framed windows. 3 ACM window putty/mastic is unlikely to be friable nor a meaningful source of airborne asbestos hazards in its bonded state, except perhaps during demolition of a very large amounts of such material or when being mechanically ground out for glass repair. 4 A total ban on all ACM in Australian products was effective from the 31 st December Window putty/mastic found in site glazed steel/aluminium framed windows in buildings built prior to this date should be treated as containing asbestos material. Statutory Obligation Agencies have a statutory obligation under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 (the Act) and the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996 (the Regulations) to provide a safe workplace for employees, whether that workplace is owned or leased. Although there are occasions where multiple duty holders exist for a single premise, agencies are still obligated as persons in control of that workplace to ensure it is safe P2005ManagementAndControlOfAsbestos.aspx 2 Safe Environments.com.au 3 Environmental Health Solutions Victoria & National Association of Testing Authorities Australia (NATA) 4 Environmental Health Solutions Victoria & Asbestos Network, Murdoch University Western Australia 5 mmittee_ _Information_Guide_for_Agencies.pdf?n=8455 2

3 Legislative Requirement The Agency as an employer, has responsibility to maintain a safe working environment under the provisions of: Regulation 3.1a of the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996 (OSH Regulations 1996), which requires an employer to identify hazards at a workplace, assess the risk of harm to a person from each hazard and to take steps to reduce the risk. Regulation 5.43 (OSH Regulations 1996) which specifically requires the presence and location of asbestos at a workplace to be identified and that the process of identification and risk assessment is conducted in accordance with the Code of Practice for the Management and Control of Asbestos in Workplaces [NOHSC:2018 (2005)]. Recommendations Recommendation 1: BMW contract project managers should alert relevant contractors to the Australian Glass & Glazing Association Inc, AGGA SAFETY ALERT- Hacking out and removing steel/aluminium putty. 6 Note that relevant contractors may include but not be limited to: demolition and construction contractors, glaziers, painters, window fabrication and installers, and any miscellaneous tradesmen involved in maintenance or refurbishments. Recommendation 2: In specific instances where the presence of asbestos in window putty is suspected: a. In the Perth Metropolitan area and areas covered by Service Arranger Contracts, the panel contractors and the BMW metropolitan Breakdown Repair team engage licensed asbestos contractors. 7 b. In regional areas Regional Contractors (including Service Alliance Contractors) involved in window repair, contact the local BMW office to determine further action 8 Recommendation 3: Window putty/mastic in steel/aluminium framed windows should only be removed when reglazing or repairing damaged putty is necessary. 6 content/uploads/safety Alert Asbestos.pdf 7 BMW Breakdown Procedures Manual 2009 page 17 Work requiring additional trades 8 BMW regional staff in consultation with the contractor, determine the presence of ACM, based on age of building etc, whether to use work practices in accordance with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (UK) work sheet a37. Removing asbestos containing mastic, sealant beading, filler putty or fixing or engage a licensed asbestos contractor, 3

4 The Service Arranger Contracts in the metropolitan area and the Service Alliance Agreements in the regions do not require contractors to hold unrestricted asbestos licence and it is not practicable to impose such a condition to the allocation of further work. The Zone Maintenance Contract for Glazing, Clause states in part: the glazing contractor can appoint a person or business that holds the appropriate asbestos removal licence to remove the ACM putty/mastic on their behalf. The Service Alliance agreements and other arrangements with contractors in regional areas make no such provisions. Recommendation 4: Specific clauses and information will be required in future contracts and documents to ensure contractors understand safe working practices and their obligations relating to ACM. Recommendation 5: A safe work procedure for use by contractors working on ACM window putty/mastic be developed by BMW for inclusion in the Asbestos Booklet to enable contractor to remove the material themselves without engaging a licensed asbestos remover where it is safe to do so. Dealing with window putty/mastic (suspected ACM) The removal, repair or maintenance of ACM window putty/mastic should be treated in accordance with the guidelines set for dealing with asbestos in the work place including reference to the Asbestos Management Plan, the Asbestos Booklet and the Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos- 2 nd Edition [NOHSC: 2002(2005)]. These documents give some guidance to the safe removal of ACM. 9,10 Unrestricted Licence allows people to remove all forms of asbestos (friable and non friable) and replaces the current asbestos removal licence. 11,12 Restricted Licence (commenced June 2010) allows people to remove amounts exceeding 10 square metres of bonded (non friable) asbestos = (1).pdf?n= oval_licence_no_3.html#unrestricted%20licence 12 Friable Asbestos : means material that can be crumbled, pulverised or reduced to a powder by hand pressure when dry that contains asbestos. Non Friable : means material containing asbestos that is not friable, including materials containing asbestos fibres reinforced with a bonding component (code of Practice. How to safely remove asbestos) 13 oval_licence_no_3.html#restricted%20licence 4

5 Window putty/mastic containing asbestos material is referred to as non friable/low risk product in its original state. However as it deteriorates with age (see Figure 1), is sanded, scraped or mechanically ground there is a risk that asbestos fibres may be released (friable) and therefore this risk needs to be managed. Figure 1: Example of window putty used in a steel window frame. The second image is a close up of the putty in this frame. Note: (this putty was tested and asbestos material was detected) image courtesy of inspectapedia.com