WORKSAFE WA has issued a safety alert after items of plant imported into Western Australia were found to contain bonded asbestos gaskets.
The machinery was imported from New Zealand and Thailand, and bound for installation at a major industrial site.
WorkSafe WA says while Australia has prohibited imports of all forms of asbestos-containing materials, some countries still manufacture parts like gaskets containing asbestos.
The plant which was imported included temporary shipping gaskets containing asbestos, and these gaskets might have had a similar appearance to non-asbestos gaskets.
WorkSafe WA says importers need to ensure imported equipment does not contain asbestos-containing materials. They should send any suspect materials to a NATA accredited laboratory for analysis.
If asbestos is found, removal work must be carried out by a competent person such as a licensed asbestos removalist. Asbestos waste must be disposed of at a licensed asbestos disposal site.