Canterbury, New Zealand – The authorities managing the safety and health impacts of Canterbury rebuild raised their concerns at the way asbestos material is being managed on different working sites across the area.
Most buildings that were constructed prior to 1980 are likely to contain some form of asbestos. However, there is a chance that asbestos products may have found their way into buildings constructed or renovated after this.
MBIE’s Canterbury Rebuild Health and Safety Program Director, Kathryn Heile, stated that, “These buildings account for a large proportion of those being demolished, or due for demolition or repair in the rebuild, so great care must be taken.”
The director also added, “It is absolutely crucial that before any work takes place on a site that is thought to have asbestos, or asbestos containing materials, that it is accurately identified. If you have any doubt, you must either assume it is asbestos and put in the place the appropriate controls and notify MBIE of restricted work, or arrange for samples to be taken from the site and sent to an accredited laboratory for testing.”
”There are too many cases where asbestos is not being properly identified and then subsequently poorly managed.”
“It is imperative that the asbestos hazard is taken seriously – the earthquakes have claimed enough lives already without a second wave of deaths decades in the future. The asbestos risk can be managed safely and should be managed safely.”
