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It's Asbestos Awareness week

Asbestos is regarded as New Zealand’s number one workplace killer. This week we’re helping to highlight the danger that asbestos poses and tell people the key things they need to know when working in and around asbestos as part of Asbestos Awareness Week.

There have been advertisements on the radio, information shared via social media channels and an awareness event run by NZDAA in Auckland today.

The event covers the dangers of asbestos, and some of the potential legal and insurance ramifications that are inherent when working with, or in, areas that contain asbestos.

There are a number of workshop sessions and presentations that will be available as videos on The Factor after the event.
Time's up for asbestos changes

Asbestos, because of its incredible range of properties, was added into numerous building products from the 50s to the 80s. However, it was later discovered to be a carcinogen when the fibres get lodged in human lungs.

To help reduce worker exposure to this carcinogen, the government introduced the new Health and Safety (Asbestos) Regulations in 2016. These regulations were designed to raise the bar for the asbestos removal industry by bringing New Zealand’s approach to managing asbestos in the workplace and any associated removal into line with Australia and the UK.
Read our media release

Out now: Four new asbestos quick guides

If you are a plumber, builder, electrician or a painter take note as we have just launched four new quick guides so that you can quickly understand your responsibilities and how to manage the risks when working with or near asbestos.

The guides are for designed for tradespeople who work for themselves or have other people (including apprentices) working for them. Each guide is a one-stop information resource that covers:

  • the risk of working with or near asbestos
  • the difference between friable and non-friable asbestos
  • where asbestos is likely to be found in New Zealand homes and other buildings
  • the key ways to protect yourself when working with asbestos
  • how to dispose of asbestos waste
  • workers’ rights and responsibilities.
Check out the quick guides
Licence conditions

For those of you who have yet to provide all the training details or evidence of your safety management system, please get it through to asbestos@worksafe.govt.nz as soon as possible.

For those of you who have outstanding conditions to meet, WorkSafe will, if not already, be in touch to discuss meeting the conditions.

It is important that if you are undertaking work that you are using supervisors and workers who have the appropriate training. Carrying out work with using workers or supervisors without the required training may result in enforcement action.
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