Experts today warned about the serious risk of health problems after the floods across Australia.

A national conference of cleaning organizations, held in Melbourne last week also decided to issue guidelines to help authorities and the public in the flood aftermath.

Speaking after the conference in Melbourne, Gary Bourke, who heads the National Upholstery, Carpet Cleaners and Restorers Association (NUCCRA), said his members were alarmed at some levels of ignorance and the widespread dangers to health.

"It's a national problem," says Mr Bourke, who is from the Gold Coast. "For example, it may take months for a home to dry out after floods but we know of places where walls have been replaced while moisture is still evident in the structure.

"We have seen the frightening sight of volunteers working without gloves and other personal protective equipment. One volunteer in Brisbane got a small cut on his arm, which then became infected and he was lucky not to lose the limb."

As well, asbestos was removed from many homes after the floods, creating a potentially fatal health hazard to both the volunteers removing the textile and other persons living or present nearby.

Contaminated water presents another danger. Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was a minor victim of bad water when a cut became infected after he waded through a Brisbane flood zone.

"Most of our 500 or so members and their employees have been flat out since the floods," Mr Bourke says. "We don't want or need any more work, but we do want the authorities, local councils, insurance companies, assessors and home owners to know what is unsafe."

The problem had been intensified by fresh flooding this week in northern New South Wales.