As floodwaters recede across parts of New South Wales, SafeWork NSW is urging employers, workers and volunteers to pause before wading into recovery efforts. Though the clean-up can feel urgent, hidden dangers often lurk behind waterlogged walls, under collapsed ceilings and beneath muddy floors.

From unstable structures to toxic materials, post-flood sites present a complex web of hazards that demand caution, not haste.

Silent threats beneath the surface

According to Programmed contract manager Sean Balchin, slowing down is not just smart, it’s essential. “Rushing in without assessment can turn a clean-up into a casualty event,” he says. “Slow entry allows hazards to be identified and controlled. It takes time to thoroughly assess risks and develop a safety plan that protects your team.”

Contaminated floodwater is one of the most underestimated dangers. “Floodwaters can contain sewage, chemicals, dead animals and sharp debris,” says Balchin. “Contact with these can cause serious infections or illnesses like leptospirosis, hepatitis or gastrointestinal disease.”

LITMAS technical and managing director Claire Bird, agrees the dangers can be catastrophic if not assessed properly. “The first immediate concern is structural damage. Workers need to check that the floor is stable enough to walk on. I’ve received a report of a seasoned hygienist falling through rotten first-floor timbers,” she says. “One of the most distressing scenes I witnessed was a functioning maternity ward where the roof gave way during a wind event.”

Bird emphasises the importance of calling in a structural engineer where there’s visible damage, and liaising with insurers before beginning any work. “If a building is declared a total loss, cleaning it may be pointless and even dangerous,” she says.

Electrical hazards, Bird warns, are one of the most overlooked but life-threatening risks. “Before entering any site, it’s essential to confirm that no power is connected to exposed or hidden wiring. I’ve seen images of volunteers standing in water, stripping wall linings near potentially live wires. That situation can be fatal.”

Even after the water clears, dangers remain. Hidden nails, glass and sharp objects pose a constant injury risk. Slippery surfaces and eroded foundations can turn a quick sweep into a serious fall. “Buildings may appear intact but could have compromised floors, walls or ceilings,” Balchin warns. “Water saturation can weaken timber and warp structures.”

Respecting the risk of asbestos

For buildings constructed before 1990, asbestos presents a serious health risk easily overlooked in the chaos of clean-up.

“Workplaces must take a cautious and systematic approach to asbestos risk assessment after a flood,” says Balchin. “Floodwaters can dislodge, degrade or spread asbestos fibres, posing serious health risks.” His advice: assume asbestos is present until confirmed otherwise by a licensed assessor.

Bird reinforces that message. “It really does start and end with training and supervision. A cleaner cannot visually or physically assess whether a material contains asbestos. That takes experience and laboratory testing,” she says.

She stresses that asbestos is not just a relic of the past. “It’s still appearing in imported materials today, especially from countries with less stringent controls,” Bird warns. For commercial sites, asbestos registers provide vital protection, mapping out known risks. But residential sites rarely have this safeguard.

“In that case, workers should follow state government guidelines to collect small samples safely and send them to a NATA-accredited lab before disturbing anything,” she says.

Protecting people in the process

Balchin believes training is the first line of defence. “It’s not optional. it’s essential,” he says. “We must use suitably trained and competent workers. It’s not just about ticking a compliance box. Training should be seen as a way to drive profitability through qualified staff.”

Bird adds that all work must comply with asbestos removal laws. “Anyone removing more than ten square metres of non-friable asbestos must have a Class B licence. If the material is friable, it can only be removed by a Class A licensed professional,” she says. “The worker must be trained, even if they don’t hold the licence personally. Units like CPCCDE3014A are crucial.”

Decontamination is also critical. “For friable asbestos or high-risk contamination, this can mean clothing protocols, decontamination chambers and mandatory showers before leaving site,” Bird explains. “Failing to contain the site can lead to widespread contamination, especially if waste is stockpiled in the open.”

Mental resilience and disaster fatigue

Clean-ups can be physically and emotionally draining. Long hours, protective gear and humid conditions can lead to heat stress or fatigue. “Excessively long days are not always the answer,” says Balchin. “The risks become much bigger the longer someone is in a high-risk situation.”

Bird highlights the mental toll recovery efforts can take. “The best support includes early engagement with organisational psychologists to set up mental health frameworks before teams are deployed,” she says. “Understanding how stress and trauma affect others also helps responders better manage the distress they may witness.”

Bird also points to the danger of untrained casual labour. “Labour hire agencies must take responsibility. Scalable, online induction programs could help ensure workers understand the basics before they’re sent to site,” she says. “The way we manage catastrophic events has to change.”

Testing remains vital. “Where there’s evidence of sewage contamination, testing should confirm the risk using PCR methods,” says Bird. “And if there’s any suspicion of asbestos, lab confirmation ensures safe handling and disposal.”

In disaster recovery, urgency and risk walk hand in hand. But as Balchin puts it, safety is never achieved by rushing, only by respecting the complexity of the task ahead.

Know where to go for help

Employers and workers can find detailed guidance about disaster recovery on the SafeWork NSW website at
www.safework.nsw.gov.au.

For information specific to asbestos, visit the NSW Asbestos Coordination Committee at
www.asbestos.nsw.gov.au.

In Curtin’s words: “Damaged gas and electrical appliances are another hazard and must be avoided until declared safe by an electrician or plumber.”

The message is clear. Take care, take precautions and take the time to do it safely.