Many property holders love DIY projects - the ability to tear down walls and create new spaces solidifies that sense of accomplishment and ownership.
However, with sledgehammers, ladders and paintbrushes, there often comes the danger of dangerous falls and accidents.
And as the federal minister for workplace relations Bill Shorten recently pointed out, there is also the hazard of Asbestos.
Mr Shorten teamed up with Australia’s renovating program The Block and major hardware retailer Mitre 10 to raise awareness for DIY renovators about the perils of asbestos.
Together they launched a new brochure entitled Identifying asbestos in your home, to help homeowners and renovators identify and account for potential asbestos sources in the house.
"Asbestos is a silent killer that waits for many, many years before revealing itself," said Mr Shorten.
"It's estimated that asbestos is in 1 in 3 Australian homes on average, and many more in some suburbs and towns around the country," he added.
"Homeowners and DIY renovators should be aware that asbestos becomes unsafe when its disturbed, cut, sanded or exposed to the environment. Therefore, you should be sure that asbestos is not present in your home before commencing any renovations."
