Asbestos
Prosecutions
Queensland Government agencies may prosecute individuals and businesses for asbestos offences under the laws that they enforce in accordance with their enforcement framework.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland investigate and prepare briefs of evidence about offences concerning asbestos. Since 2019, prosecutions have been undertaken by the independent Office of the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor (OWHSP).
Individual prosecutions are brought for a range of offences. The matters listed below from over the past five financial years include asbestos related offences.
FY 2023/2024
- Company fined $20,000 for failing to manage asbestos risks
- Sole trader fined $5,000 for failure to manage the risks of drilling asbestos
FY 2022/2023
- Electrician fined $100,000 for multiple electrical safety breaches and an asbestos-related offence
- Asbestos and demolition company fined $5,000 for unlicenced demolition work
- Demolition man fined for intimidating inspector
FY 2021/2022
- Handyman fined $3,000 for multiple asbestos-related offences
- Building repair company fined $20,000 for exposing workers to asbestos
- Not-for-profit fined for unlicensed and uncontrolled asbestos removal work
FY 2020/2021
- Ipswich caravan park convicted for failure to identify asbestos
- Business fined for storing bee smoker containing asbestos
- Painter fined for using high pressure water spray on asbestos roof
- Painter fined $9,000 for spraying high-pressure water device on asbestos roof
- Company fined $6,000 for unlicensed asbestos removal
- Company fined $6,000 for failure to remove asbestos prior to demolition
- $7,000 fine for unlicenced asbestos work and non-disturbance notice breach
- Director of demolition company fined $2,000 for unlicensed asbestos removal
- Asbestos removal company and its directors fined total $16,000
- Worker fined for false statement to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland
- Unlicensed removal of asbestos costs small business $3,000
FY 2019/2020
- Asbestos regulation breaches at waste transfer station
- Details of successful prosecution against E252477
FY 2018/2019
