WorkSafe cautions against disregarding inspectors' warnings

WorkSafe New Zealand is alerting property owners and those performing building tasks that inspectors' notices are legally obligatory, and failing to comply with them poses a risk to safety.

This comes after the sentencing of a property owner in Palmerston North who disregarded inspectors and persisted in renovating a building known to hold asbestos, despite a cease-and-desist notice mandating the work to halt.

According to Carl Baker, the area manager for WorkSafe, the defiance was intentional, recurrent, and ultimately did not succeed.

“This was not a one-off lapse. There were multiple chances to engage and put things right. Ignoring our notices did not avoid accountability – it led to a conviction and a fine. When we issue a prohibition notice, work must stop immediately. That notice exists because there is a risk of serious harm. It is a legal requirement, not a suggestion.”

WorkSafe recommends that anyone intending to undertake work on buildings constructed or renovated prior to 2000 should consider asbestos as an ongoing risk.

See full details here.