Royal Adelaide Hospital experienced an asbestos scare yesterday when a contractor fell through the ceiling and disturbed asbestos that was contained in the ceiling space.
The SA Herald Sun reported that the hospital, in Adelaide, South Australia, immediately implemented the standard asbestos control safety procedures including sealing the room to reduce the risk of patients and staff being exposed to asbestos, and also restricting access to the asbestos contaminated area. Clearly any exposure to asbestos is a concern given even small amounts can lead to mesothelioma, the asbestos related cancer.
To further reduce the risk of asbestos exposure, a nearby patient was relocated to another room, and a device that detects asbestos in the air was used to ensure the area was safe.
The contractor was not seriously harmed during his fall, but was treated for minor injuries. Safework SA has been alerted of the accident.
Asbestos incidents such as this will hopefully become a thing of the past, with the Australian government announcing in a report earlier this month that they are aiming for Australia to be completely asbestos-free by 2030. If achieved, this will significantly reduce the amount of Australians who contract asbestos related conditions such as mesothelioma and asbestosis.
