This Asbestos Awareness Week (16-22 November), WorkSafe New Zealand is urging people to take asbestos seriously, as hundreds of asbestos-related concerns continue to be reported to the regulator each year.
Asbestos remains the country’s number one work-related killer – responsible for an estimated 220 people dying each year from asbestos-related diseases.
In the past it was widely used in building materials because it’s strong, durable and resistant to heat. Asbestos remains present in many buildings across New Zealand – particularly those built or renovated before the year 2000.
WorkSafe Construction Lead Adrian van Dyk says so far this year members of the public have made almost 650 notifications to the regulator involving asbestos – a similar number to the same time last year.
“To put this into context, each year we receive roughly 10,000 notifications from concerned members of the public about general health and safety. A significant number of those involve asbestos,” he says.
“Around 80% of asbestos notifications this year were identified for follow-up by inspectors, and more than 4% were classified as posing an immediate risk of harm. That shows asbestos continues to be a real and present hazard.
“There has been a lot of effort over the years to raise awareness of the risks. Ideally, we’d have fewer situations requiring people to raise their concerns because the risk would have been identified and managed beforehand.”
Adrian van Dyk says the best way to keep safe is to check for asbestos before carrying out maintenance, renovation or demolition work on older buildings.
“There’s a misconception that asbestos is a problem of the past, but it’s a very real hazard.
“Roofs, lino, cladding, electrical meter boards could all contain asbestos – you can’t tell whether a material contains asbestos just by looking at it. That’s why our message is simple: until you know, assume asbestos.
“If you’re planning maintenance, renovation or demolition work on an older building, take a moment to ask the question: could asbestos be present? Getting it tested before work starts could save lives years from now and prevent a costly clean-up.”
“If you suspect a material may contain asbestos, stop work and arrange for it to be tested before disturbing it.”
WorkSafe has guides available to show where asbestos may be hiding in residential and commercial properties.
“The WorkSafe website is a wealth of information and resources to help businesses understand what to look out for and what their responsibilities are under the Health and Safety at Work Act. There are videos on how to wear your PPE correctly,” says Adrian van Dyk.
“It’s important to note materials containing asbestos, that are in a good condition and left untouched, aren’t a risk. But once disturbed, asbestos can release fibres into the air. The fibres, which are so small they can’t be seen by the human eye, can get stuck in the lungs, causing significant illnesses like cancer and mesothelioma.
“Knowing the risks and how to reduce them can help keep yourself and the wider community safe.”
