The National Archives of Australia based in Canberra is under public scrutiny following claims that one of its storage facilities is using gaffer tape to secure asbestos products such as vinyl tiles.
Concerns were raised after Labor Senator Anne Urqhart visited Canberra’s Mitchell storage facility and witnessed tiles that could contain asbestos being held in place with gaffer tape.
The Canberra facility has reached full archive capacity, and is being forced to refuse to accept any more documents.
Although there are plans in the works for a new centre to relieve some pressure, concerns are growing regarding the handling of asbestos in the Canberra facility.
Canberra’s Archives Assistant Director-General Cheryl Watson claims that staff and contractors are protected from asbestos exposure by notification processes, and also by limiting the handling of the asbestos tiles.
Asbestos related diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma can be caused by very small amounts of asbestos exposure. Asbestos litigation in Canberra does occur, including mesothelioma law claims in ACT. It is hoped that any asbestos related problem in this Canberra facility can be rectified to ensure no exposure occurs, and thus to ensure no asbestos related conditions, such as pleural mesothelioma, to occur.
