Overview:

ASP Australia was commissioned to demolish and remove the asbestos waffle slab from a four storey commercial car park. The sensitive nature of the work was due to the site being near to a live train station therefore all precautions were taken to ensure the heavy duty shade was erected along the perimeter of the building.

The 7-week project was completed successfully without any elevated reading incidents and within the allocated time frame.

Summary:

A team of twelve asbestos removal technicians were assigned to the project. The car park is a three-level concrete structure of building footprint of approximately 1,850 m2. The Ground, First and Second Levels are split Levels with asbestos cement mouldings (‘void formers’) present to most of the concrete slab ‘voids’ to the Levels.

Due to the poorly mixed concrete, asbestos fibres had entered the aerated holes during pilot removal works and made our LAA reluctant to give clearance.

The uncertainty of obtaining full clearance from our LAA, and health risk imposed on workers using jackhammer above head height, a method to mechanically demolish waffle slab under asbestos condition was adopted following consultation and approval from our LAA and safe works NSW.

The successful completion of the project was undertaken by using the following machines:

• Mobile Crane for initial plant lift
• 2 x 4.5 Te Excavators fitted with breaker attachment
• 1 x 2.5 Te Excavators fitted with breaker attachment
• 1 x 5Te Excavator fitted with shear attachment
• 2 x 2.4 Te bobcats with grab attachment
• 1 x 14Te excavator for load out
• 2 x 25Te excavator for load out
• 40 x 40T truck and trailers

In line with the below service process:

• Excavator to demolish asbestos waffles and beams from above using hydraulic hammer attachment
• Bobcats to move and stockpile waste on GF
• Dedicated labourers on dust suppression during process
• Trucks are to be washed downed after waste has been loaded and secured before leaving the work area

• Putting the team’s expertise and ever-growing experience into practice, ASP was able to complete the project on time, within the tight budget set and delivered without any elevated reading incidents. We are proud to continue delivering the utmost safety across all aspects of our work.