WorkSafe investigates Queenstown arterial road asbestos incident

WorkSafe is making enquiries after a worker on stage one of Queenstown's arterial road project claimed he lost his job after flagging safety concerns on site during the removal of asbestos water pipes.

A spokesperson for WorkSafe says the organisation has been notified and is making initial enquiries into the incident.

"Businesses must provide adequate PPE (personal protective equipment) to ensure workers are kept healthy and safe," the spokesperson says.

"If there is a risk of respirable asbestos being disturbed, workers should be wearing the correct PPE and RPE (respiratory protective equipment) provided by the employer."

On Wednesday Crux reported a worker for a contracting company tasked with exposing old asbestos water pipes on Melbourne Street last week was made to work without this essential kit.

He says dust flew into his face after the operator of the digger he was spotting for cracked a pipe then proceeded to scrape the pipe's surface again with the digger bucket as they attempted to recover it with dirt.

He says he knew asbestos could be dangerous and he was worried for his safety, so raised his concerns with the operator.

It was his first day onsite with the company, and during a debrief back at the yard with his new boss at the end of the day he was told not to come back, he says.

However a spokesperson for the Queenstown Lakes District Council, the lead agency for the project, says alliance bosses are denying anyone working at the site was asked to leave.

They are also denying any work was undertaken in an unsafe manner.

"All contractors and alliance staff involved with this work have worked in accordance with the alliance’s asbestos permit and with appropriate health and safety measures in place," the spokesperson says.

The WorkSafe spokesperson says the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 require workers to be trained in how to safely work with asbestos.

"There should be an asbestos removal control plan in place for the work."

This would include full asbestos protective wear with a fitted half face mask, a decontamination processes for workers, machinery and waste, and a robust methodology for cutting pipe that could include dust suppression controls like a hose system or encapsulant spray, they say.

Main image: Contractors have removed old asbestos water pipes on Melbourne Street as part of the Queenstown arterial road project.