If you work on older homes and buildings around Esperance, you’ve probably come across asbestos - sometimes where you expect it, and sometimes where you don’t.

Asbestos is still common in older materials, and tradies are the ones most likely to spot it (or be put at risk by it). Whether it’s a renovation, a demo, a quick repair job, or a DIY client who’s already started pulling things apart, you see what’s happening out there, day to day.

That’s why we’re asking tradies to take a short survey. Your input will help us get a clear picture of how asbestos is being managed locally, what’s working, what’s not, and where the biggest risks are.

Why We’re Asking Tradies

You’re on the tools. You’re on site. You’re the ones dealing with real-world conditions - time pressure, budgets, customer expectations, and jobs that change as soon as you open a wall.

That gives you a unique view of:

• where asbestos is still turning up
• how often materials are checked and tested
• who takes responsibility for asbestos management
• what happens when homeowners or DIY renovators don’t realise what they’re dealing with

Your feedback helps us understand what asbestos handling looks like in the real world across Esperance — not just what the rules say should happen.

What We Want to Know

The survey is short and practical. We’re looking to understand:

1) How asbestos is being checked and managed

Are materials being tested? Who organises it? Is the process clear across different jobs and sites?

2) What homeowners and DIY renovators know (or don’t know)

Are people recognising asbestos-containing materials? Do they understand the risks? Do they know when to stop and get help?

3) The challenges you face on the job

For example: time pressure, customer expectations, confusion over responsibilities, or access to licensed removal services.

How we’ll use your feedback

What you tell us will help us:

• improve community education, especially for homeowners and DIY renovators
• update the Shire’s Public Health Plan so it reflects what’s happening on the ground
• create clearer, easy-to-share information for tradies to use with clients
• build a better local picture of asbestos awareness so we can reduce accidental exposure and lift safety standards

The goal is simple: safer jobs, clearer expectations, and fewer nasty surprises on site.

Have Your Say – It Only Takes 2 Minutes

Survey open: 9–16 February.

👉 Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/X3TP7C7

Thanks for helping improve asbestos safety across Esperance.