Could ceiling dust removalists be licensed by the EPA, WorkCover, or Department of Fair Trading (DoFT)?
I asked DoFT s Home Building Unit Manager this question and was advised by Michael Carroll, for the Director General, that ceiling dust removal work “does not require to be licensed under the Home Building Act 1989”, administered by DoFT. DoFT “would not propose recommending any changes to the Legislation in that regard”, for example to necessitate licensing of ceiling dust contractors. Failing the setting up of licensing of ceiling dust removalists, DoFT may still have a role to play in “professionalising” the industry, for instance, ensuring contractors have insurance and work to certain standards. WorkCover could license them, along with lead paint removalists, lead soil removalists and lead contaminated carpet cleaners, but no steps have yet been taken to do so. Regulations would need to be developed, as they were to allow licensing of asbestos contractors. Gary Rhyder from WorkCover NSW has commented ” with the move away from prescriptive legislation to performance based legislati
