Friday 28th May 2021

Asbestos removalist immediate suspension of licence. 

On May 10^th, SafeWork South Australia commenced proactive compliance audits on licensed asbestos removal jobs. Since the campaign started, an immediate suspension of a Class B asbestos removal licence was ordered for failure to remove asbestos from a property safely.

It was identified by SafeWork SA that the licence holder failed to remove all asbestos from a residential site, didn’t decontaminate the work area, or ensure the asbestos waste was contained before removing it from the area.

This incident shows the business wasn’t complying with section 19 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA) to take reasonable care of their workers’ health and safety and ensure that they do not adversely affect the health and safety of others.

‘SafeWork SA continues to focus on ensuring asbestos licence holders are meeting their responsibilities in complying with asbestos regulations.’ said SafeWork SA Acting Executive Director, Glenn Farrell

Original article can be read on the SafeWork SA website.

‘Life Shavers’ campaign launched. 

WorkSafe New Zealand has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of the need for workers to be cleanly shaven if wearing respiratory protective equipment (RPE) for work.

Shaving your beard could save your life. A small amount of facial hair could prevent RPE from forming a protective seal. Without a proper seal, workers could potentially be exposed to a range of dangerous materials while they work.

SafeWork NZ Manager Health, Health & Technical Services Api Poutasi said ‘We want to make sure all workers are looking after their health. Getting cancer or another illness because you prioritised stylish facial hair isn’t a good idea.’

‘Not every worker can shave. For some workers, facial hair is part of their culture or faith. Businesses need to consider alternative protective measures for those workers – there are ways to prevent dust and materials being inhaled, or maybe those workers need to perform another role on site to avoid that risk.’

Respiratory harm and cancers account for 31% of work-related health problems in New Zealand, according to WorkSafe NZ estimates.

The full media release can be found on the WorkSafe NZ website.