Making Asbestos Compliance More Accessible, Less Stressful: How One Local Government Uses Octfolio to Stay on Top of Risk

Overview

In a busy council environment where asbestos management is one of many responsibilities, easy access to accurate information and the removal of administrative burden can make all the difference.

For Mackay Regional Council, reliance on a mix of PDFs, excel spreadsheets, and hard copy files led to inefficiencies, data inconsistencies, and potential safety risks. By digitising asbestos information and streamlining access to asbestos registers through a single source of truth, Octfolio has helped reduce confusion, support compliance and empower safer decisions, especially for teams and contractors working across multiple sites.

Challenge

With asbestos risk being only one part of a wider role, the team needed a solution that would streamline the process and support fast access to up-to-date asbestos data, without the need for sifting through a spreadsheet or digging through papers in a filing cabinet. They faced:

• Limited time and resources
• Staff and contractors unsure where to find or access asbestos registers
• Lack of a user-friendly, central system for accessing or updating asbestos data
• Challenges sharing information clearly and consistently across departments
• A need for after-hours accessibility and backup if safety questions arise on-site

Solution

Mackay Regional Council engaged Octfolio to implement a secure, cloud-based platform that serves as a single source of truth for asbestos-related information, that is always up to date and easily accessible.

• The asbestos register was embedded into the Council's intranet via a shortcut, allowing staff to access vital information in just a few clicks.
• QR codes were placed at key access points across Council sites, linking directly to site-specific Safety Pages containing asbestos registers and other critical information, providing contractors with immediate access to risk information for after hours or urgent queries.
• The Council maintained up-to-date records through Octfolio, either directly or in collaboration with contractors, ensuring any asbestos removal or incident was documented with supporting certifications.
• Octfolio provided responsive support and training to build internal capability, helping Council staff become confident in updating the platform themselves as needed, increasing overall efficiency.

Results

By embedding Octfolio into their asbestos management processes, the team at Mackay Regional Council has achieved:

• Faster, more reliable access to asbestos registers for both staff and contractors.
• Complete visibility into asset-specific asbestos risk in one central platform.
• Reduced reliance on ad hoc systems like spreadsheets.
• Confidence in their compliance processes.
• Enhanced data quality and accuracy.
• Increased contractor safety with after-hours access to registers via QR codes.
• A consistent process for updating asbestos data as changes occur.
• Increased user confidence within the council team, supported by responsive, knowledgeable support.