Asbestos handling concerns have been raised in relation to a hotel redevelopment site in the Canberra suburb of Braddon. These concerns have seen the construction union, the CFMEU, call for the site to be closed. The CFMEU has confirmed that asbestos at the site was not being removed or disposed of correctly and workers were not wearing the necessary protective gear or being correctly decontaminated after finishing work on the site.

Despite these concerns Work Safe ACT has decided to allow work to continue on the site. Mark McCabe, Work Safety Commissioner, has said that inspectors who visited the site are satisfied the union’s concerns have been dealt with by the employer. The concerns have been taken very seriously as asbestos exposure can lead to workers being exposed to asbestos which can cause serious diseases such as asbestosis, asbestos related pleural disease and mesothelioma.

The company responsible for asbestos removal at the construction site has been referred to the ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA) who issue asbestos removal licenses. ACTPLA will decide if action needs to be taken against the removal company such as a withdrawal or suspension of their license.

The incorrect removal and disposal of asbestos at this construction site does not only put workers at risk but also the public. The area is one of very high traffic; there are a lot of people walking past all day and this puts them in at a risk of being exposed to asbestos fibres. Thus resolving the concerns that have been recognized are extremely important to reduce the risk of both workers and the public contracting asbestos related disease like asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Asbestos compensation claims in Canberra have been made in the past by building workers who have been exposed to asbestos. ACT asbestos claims, including ACT mesothelioma claims, have involved building workers exposed to asbestos on Canberra building sites.

Last month, Australians were shocked to discover that asbestos products were used in the construction of two roads at Robertson, NSW, a town 100km southwest of Sydney. The roads were built only four years ago, despite the fact the use of asbestos has been banned in Australia since 2004 due to the causal links between asbestos and diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma, a rare cancer.

Last week, however, Australian residents from the NSW town of Wingello had their shock and outraged renewed amid claims that their local council had failed to inform them of the fact that several more roads in the area had been built using the same asbestos materials.

The Australian reported yesterday that an elderly resident living in the NSW town recognized similarities between materials used in the construction of her street and photographs from a news report about the asbestos found in the Robertson streets. It was only after contacting council that it was confirmed that her street was in the middle of an asbestos investigation. But a guarantee of proper asbestos testing was not confirmed until a call was made to the Mayor.

It was reported that residents were concerned for their health, as the road was cracked and the resulting dust blows straight into their homes, meaning that they may be at risk of asbestos exposure.

The council is currently conducting asbestos testing to determine whether the contaminated roads have to be sealed to protect the public from asbestos exposure.

Australia has a very high incidence of mesothelioma on a per capita basis as compared to world standards

The combined efforts of the Environmental Protection Authority and SafeWork South Australia are seeing a harsh crackdown on unsafe removal practices of asbestos in South Australia. An announcement by the two bodies last week confirmed that together they will be performing audits of South Australia’s licensed asbestos removalists to make sure the removal of asbestos at depots and work sites is being conducted safely.

This review is crucial as the safe removal of asbestos will not only ensure the safety of the people who occupy the buildings where this asbestos is found but also the safety of the workers who remove it. The review’s main focus is to ensure the terms and conditions of asbestos removalists licenses are being followed, as these rules are in place to eliminate the risks associated with exposure to asbestos.

South Australia has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world per capita. The South Australian Parliament introduced specific legislation to assist those South Australian’s suffering asbestosis and mesothelioma to make asbestos claims in South Australia.

Asbestosis compensation claims in South Australia and mesothelioma compensation claims in South Australia have benefited from such legislation. The District Court of South Australia, located on North Terrace in Adelaide, is where such asbestosis and mesothelioma Court action is heard. The intention behind the SA legislation is to assist those suffering asbestos related conditions in South Australia make a compensation claim.

A project to remove all asbestos from the Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park in the Northern Territory of Australia has been announced by the parks caretakers. This decision came after a federal study found asbestos at the site of the old Uluru Motel which was demolished over 25 years ago and in the park’s ranger accommodation.

Small pieces of old asbestos sheeting was found on the ground of the old Motel site. Along with removing these asbestos cement sheets, contractors will also go through the area and remove any asbestos found. Although the asbestos has been found to be safe as is, the removal of it is still going ahead as precaution and to ensure the safety of the park’s staff.

The removal of all found asbestos is extremely important and the park is making the right decision in making this happen. Exposure to asbestos can lead to people contracting diseases, such as mesothelioma and asbestosis.

In the 1970s, the Northern Territory was the scene of Cyclone Tracey. During the Darwin rebuild, many homes were built which contained asbestos. Some workers who were exposed to asbestos during this rebuild went on to develop asbestos related conditions, including mesothelioma. There have been mesothelioma claims in Australian Courts where such exposure has been alleged.