WORKSAFE Victoria claims failing to ensure a tradesman was aware of the presence of asbestos has cost the Education Department $10,000 as well as being ordered to pay costs of $3,500.
According to WorkSafe, an over-heating refrigerator at Geelong High School’s multipurpose hall led to the installation of an extractor fan to improve airflow, but the tradesman doing the work was not told asbestos was present.
The authority says the school gave permission to install the fan, however the tradesman was not advised of a 1999 report which identified fibro-cement sheeting in the walls and ceiling of the multipurpose hall’s servery area.
WorkSafe’s Construction and Utilities Division director Chris Webb claims asbestos is a common building material which has to be treated with respect because of the potential for serious illnesses arising from exposure.
“The potential risks of working with asbestos are well known, as are the precautions that need to be taken,” Mr Webb said.
“WorkSafe expects that appropriate precautions are taken and that people working with asbestos are given information where its presence has already been identified.”
Detailed information on the correct handling requirements for asbestos can be found in the OHS Regulation 2007.
WorkSafe has also produced a range of publications including ‘Asbestos – A handbook for Workplaces’ and ‘Managing Asbestos in Workplaces – A guide for Real Estate Agents and Property Managers’, which can be found at www.worksafe.vic.gov.au.