12:31 pm, Monday 8 November, 2010

A demolisher has been fined after it was found that it was performing asbestos removal without the required licence.

The Geelong Magistrates Court was told the demolition company had potentially exposed workers, at least one client and nearby properties to asbestos due to its questionable practices.

The owner of the company pleaded guilty failing to ensure employees were not exposed to risk and removing asbestos without a licence and to the unlawful assault lodged by a 65-year-old customer. He was fined $35,400 and ordered to pay costs of $2141.

According to Worksafe Victoria prosecutor Virginia Whalen, the defendant advertised in the Yellow Pages that his company was qualified to remove asbestos despite not holding a licence.

Ms Whalen said the company was hired to demolish a section of a house at Corio in January 2009.

“[The defendant] assured the owner he was licensed to remove asbestos,” she said.

The court heard a Worksafe Inspector went to the home but did not see any signage and barriers to prevent airborne fibres entering the house. He also found workers were not wearing any personal protective clothing.

Ms Whalen said a similar incident happened in September 2009 at a garage of a house at Torquay. The home owner informed the defendant about the asbestos, but was assured that the necessary licence was obtained.

“While demolition was going on the owner saw three young men… loading a couple of trucks with asbestos,” she said.

“Again they were not wearing any type of protective clothing.”

Magistrate Michael Coghlan said the defendant had exposed employees and other people to asbestos.

“People die that is what happens with this stuff,” he said.

“I have personally known people who died through exposure to asbestos and I can tell you, it is a cruel death.”

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10:27 am, Thursday 21 October, 2010

The Mackay Industrial Magistrates Court has fined a builder after failing to comply with asbestos removal guidelines while removing roofing.

The construction company pleaded guilty to a breach of section 24(1) of the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995, having failed to ensure workplace safety.

The court was told a building site in Mackay was contaminated with asbestos on July 15 when workers caused unnecessary breaking of roof sheets.

The company was fined $4,000 and was ordered to pay $805.40 in investigation and court costs.

Industrial Magistrate Damien Dwyer said dealing with asbestos was a serious matter. He noted that the company was remiss in ensuring asbestos removal work was performed properly.

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08:14 am, Wednesday 20 October, 2010

A concerned parent who discovered asbestos in a Brighton primary school says it is a sign “shoddy work” on Building the Education Revolution scheme projects.

On March 2009, the parent sent a letter to WorkSafe after his three-year old daughter picked up an asbestos fragment at the school premises.

He sent the fragment for independent analysis, which revealed it to be asbestos.

“As I mentioned, I found one of the pieces on the steps of the concrete slab right outside the entrance to my son’s classroom. It looks like it has been handled by the way the edges have been rounded,” the parent’s letter to WorkSafe read.

“There has obviously been a breakdown of process here. As concerned parents, we would like you please to take action and help the principal to deal with the matter.

“It is intolerable that asbestos material of any sort be left lying around in a school playground where the kids play every day.”

He said that while the risks may be low because the asbestos was non-friable, it could still pose dangers.

“Fibres could be released and breathed in by children handling the material (as my daughter actually did) or crushing it by walking on it etc. In the process, children could get fibres on their clothing, and expose others as well.

“I (am) also now concerned about what may be in the ground and out of immediate eyesight either just below the surface or crushed into the soil.”

The letter resulted to the closure of the school for soil to be poured over the areas where asbestos were suspected to be found.

However, the parent said asbestos fragments could still be found weeks later.

WorkSafe Victoria spokesman Michael Birt confirmed the presence of asbestos in the school at Albion North. He said an initial clean-up and air monitoring had been performed last week, which will be followed up with a comprehensive clean-up.

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08:12 am, Tuesday 12 October, 2010

WorkCover is investigating 14 NSW schools over safety breaches involving asbestos handling during construction work.

The authority has revealed that four notices were issued to the asbestos removal.

Concerns were raised about the lack of transparency with the school’s students and their parents, considering the requirement under workplace health and safety regulations to inform all employees about workplace hazards.

A spokesman for the Department of Education and Training addressed the issue, stating that parents had been informed about the asbestos removal in a letter from the principal sent last February.

The principal said in the letter that work had performed during holidays to avoid any potential asbestos exposure, and that all protocols had been strictly complied with.

According to the spokesman, the department had a rigorous system for monitoring and removing asbestos. He assured concerned parties that “no student or staff member’s health was put at risk”.

“Under the department’s asbestos management plan, principals are responsible for ensuring that employees, contractors and consultants are suitably informed about the presence of asbestos,” he said.

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03:46 pm, Monday 4 October, 2010

WorkCover NSW has confirmed it has investigated allegations of improper asbestos handling at 94 schools since 2007.

Reports say asbestos handling violations have occurred at 14 government, Catholic and independent schools across New South Wales.

There were allegations that parent groups were not made aware about the violations. Many of the breaches allegedly occurred during construction work under the Building the Education Revolution program.

According to WorkCover, it had issued twelve notices to various removing asbestos safely.

The Education Department said WorkCover was satisfied that asbestos was safely removed  after the notices were issued.

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06:54 pm, Tuesday 7 September, 2010

A swim school has been issued an improvement order after asbestos was allegedly found in the facility’s roof’

Caroline De Veney, Worksafe WA spokeswoman, said they inspected the Churchlands facility after a member of the public made an attendance request.

According to Ms De Veney, WorkSafe issued an improvement order to the swim school. The deadline to take the necessary steps is set on September 17.

“The notice requires the owner to have a ‘competent person’ identify whether there’s any asbestos and assess its condition,” she said.

“If there is asbestos in the roof, the expert will make a recommendation as to whether it can be sealed or it needs to be removed. The improvement notice stipulates identification and assessment, as well as potential establishment of an asbestos register.”

The owner of the swim school said they have talked to an asbestos expert to act on the improvement order.

“We are certainly complying with the notice,” he said.

“We’ve had someone come out and we’re in the process of following up on the order.

“If there is any asbestos, we’ll have to get an asbestos register organised.

“We’re confident we’ll meet all of the requirements by the deadline.”

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01:17 pm, Friday 21 May, 2010

WorkSafe is reminding business operators that they only have a few days to secure the proper asbestos removal licence.

The licensing change means that starting June 1, businesses removing more than ten square metres of bonded asbestos – including asbestos cement material – in a workplace will need to have completed an approved training course and hold an asbestos licence.

According to WorkSafe WA Commissioner Nina Lyhne, the asbestos removal.

“There is still a large amount of asbestos in WA and we need to make sure that its removal is carried out only by workers who have the proper skills and knowledge to perform the task safely,” Ms Lyhne said.

“A National Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos has been in existence for many years, so there has always been a requirement for working safely with asbestos. These changes aim to improve compliance with the Code.

“Asbestos cement products do not pose a risk to health if they are left undisturbed in buildings. However, there is a serious risk of exposure to asbestos fibres during the disturbance or removal of asbestos-containing materials unless basic safety precautions are followed.

“Concerns have long existed about the potential for serious health effects from exposure to asbestos where these safety precautions are not followed.

“These concerns resulted in the Commission for Occupational Safety and Health recommending stronger controls on the removal of asbestos cement sheeting.

“A large amount of consultation has taken place, with input from industry representatives, unions, organisations and members of the community all being taken into consideration when deciding to implement the changes.

“Unfortunately Western Australians have the sad legacy of Wittenoom to remind them of the potential hazards of asbestos, and these changes are part of the State Government’s commitment to the future safety and health of all Western Australians.

“The obvious advantage of licensing for the removal of asbestos is that it will ensure that only workers who possess the required knowledge, skills and safe systems of work to do the job safely will be able to perform the work.”

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10:03 am, Wednesday 3 March, 2010

Federal agency SafeWork has released a report on the asbestos removal and disposal.

The report entitled “Asbestos Exposure and Compliance Study of Construction and Maintenance Workers” discussed the awareness of the workers on the risks of dealing with asbestos.

However, the report also revealed the workers’ lack of knowledge of the substance itself. Many of the people surveyed do not recognize asbestos when they see it. Moreover, the workers often do not practice the necessary safety precautions when handling asbestos.

The report explains that construction workers usually do not use safety training on the matter.

SafeWork Chairman Tom Philips was disappointed by the findings on the report. He said that while the workers knew the dangerous nature of asbestos, the lack of implementation of safety controls is a seious concern.

He said the report can be used to educate workers on the hazards in dealing with asbestos. He noted that safety and environmental agencies should work together to deal with the issue.

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