Which asbestos course do you need?
Awareness, the non friable asbestos course (Class B) or Supervise Asbestos Removal — who each one is for, what you need first, and what you finish with.
Written byEdway
The short answer
Choose Asbestos Awareness if you may encounter asbestos but will not remove it. Choose Non-Friable Removal if you will remove bonded asbestos. Choose Supervise Asbestos Removal if you already hold a removal unit.
The supervisor course is for the named supervisor on licensed removal work. Pick the one that matches your job, and you will be ready for site with the right skills from day one.
Compare the 3 courses
| Course | Choose it when | Training outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Asbestos Awareness | You may encounter asbestos but will not remove it | Non-accredited Certificate of Completion |
| Non-Friable Removal | You will remove bonded, non-friable asbestos | Nationally recognised Statement of Attainment |
| Supervise Asbestos Removal | You will be the named supervisor on licensed removal work | Nationally recognised Statement of Attainment |
Each course matches a different job role, so you only need the one that fits the work you do.
Awareness is for recognising risk
Asbestos Awareness is for people who may disturb or work near asbestos-containing materials. It covers common locations, health risks, avoiding exposure and following the workplace asbestos-management process.
It suits anyone whose work could bring them near asbestos and who wants to know what to look for. It is self-paced and online, so you can finish it in your own time. It is non-accredited, so you receive a Certificate of Completion rather than a Statement of Attainment.
Awareness training does not authorise you to remove asbestos.
Non friable asbestos removal course Melbourne and NSW
Non-Friable Removal covers bonded asbestos, such as sheeting that remains firm rather than crumbling easily. The unit is CPCCDE3028 Remove non-friable asbestos.
The course covers preparing and enclosing the work area, carrying out removal, decontamination, clean-up and the required records. You learn the full job, step by step, so you can do removal work safely and confidently.
The course itself is not a removal licence. State regulators issue Class B licences separately. The national code treats removal of up to 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos as the unlicensed limit.
You need a current White Card issued after May 2009. This unit also comes before Class A friable-asbestos training and can be a prerequisite for supervision. That makes it the foundation for a career in asbestos removal, and the first step towards friable work and supervising a crew.
Who needs a non friable asbestos removal course?
Construction and demolition workers who remove bonded asbestos need this course. So does anyone heading for friable removal or supervision work, because this unit comes first.
In Victoria the course is issued by Edway Training, so Melbourne workers book the Victorian course. In New South Wales it is issued by Training Aid Australia.
How can asbestos removal training in Melbourne save lives?
Asbestos removed the wrong way puts the crew, the client and the next trades on site at risk. Removal training teaches the safe way, step by step: prepare and enclose the work area, carry out the removal, decontaminate and clean up.
Done right, the job finishes with the site left safe for the people who come after you. That is the work, and the course shows you how.
Supervisor asbestos course VIC and NSW: a separate role
Supervise Asbestos Removal is for the named supervisor on licensed removal work. It covers planning the job, overseeing preparation and removal, monitoring decontamination and keeping the work compliant.
It is the natural next step for site supervisors and leading hands who want to lead removal jobs. You must already hold the relevant non-friable or friable removal unit. The course does not replace the removal training needed for the work being supervised.
Check before you book
For removal training, check the White Card and any earlier asbestos units required for your course. For supervision training, check that you hold the relevant non-friable or friable removal unit. Entry can be refused when the required evidence is missing.
The issuing RTO depends on the state. In New South Wales, the removal courses are issued by Training Aid Australia (RTO 91411). In Victoria, they are issued by Edway Training (RTO 91401).
Asbestos Awareness is issued by Edway Training (RTO 91401). It has no removal prerequisite and does not require a USI.
What do you need before enrolling in a non friable asbestos course?
You need a current White Card issued after May 2009. That is the only prerequisite for the non friable course.
Have your ID and your USI ready, and wear closed-toe shoes on the day. Get those sorted before you book and your enrolment goes through without a hitch.
Next step
For recognition and avoidance only, ask Edway about Asbestos Awareness.
For bonded-asbestos removal, see Non-Friable Asbestos Removal (Class B). If you already hold a removal unit and will supervise the work, see Supervise Asbestos Removal.
Our team is happy to help you choose the right course and get booked in.
Sources
- Safe Work Australia — Model Code of Practice: How to safely remove asbestosThe unlicensed 10 square metre limit, the Class B licence, the named supervisor's duties on Class A and Class B jobs, and the Class B unit being completed before Class A
- Safe Work Australia — Asbestos: WHS dutiesThe employer's duty to train workers who might work with asbestos, and awareness training where no licence is needed
- SafeWork NSW — Asbestos: employer training obligationsWho awareness training must be provided to, and the trades the regulator names as examples
- SafeWork NSW and WorkSafe Victoria — asbestos removal licensingClass B removal licences being issued by the state regulator, and WorkSafe Victoria's refresher recommendation
- training.gov.au — CPCCDE3028 and CPCCDE4009Unit codes, official titles and superseded codes
