Men handled deadly fibres without knowing it

Construction workers who removed deadly asbestos from a 1920s Christchurch building this week had no idea what they were handling and did not wear protective gear, say Christchurch City Council staff.

The demolition site in Fitzgerald Avenue was shut down by the Department of Labour on Wednesday, and asbestos specialists were called in to decontaminate the site.

Workers began demolishing the 1920s former waterworks building at 170 Fitzgerald Avenue on Monday and began removing the asbestos on Tuesday.

Two workers that removed the asbestos with no protection have exposed themselves to a major health risk.

Asbestos, a natural material made up of tiny fibres, was often used for building insulation. If inhaled, the fibres can lodge in the lungs, leading to cancer (mesothelioma) or scarring of the lungs (asbestosis).

Council environmental health officer Graeme Pulley said there was no record of asbestos in the building and so workers would not have known.

"The workers did not know it was asbestos," he said.

"They are the only people who are at risk from this, and it came about because they were ignorant it was asbestos.

"They wish they had been more vigilant now. They did not wear masks because they did not know it was asbestos."

Asbestos specialist John Walder is decontaminating the construction site and has visited neighbouring properties to ensure the toxic material did not drift during the demolition work.

"I have visited the neighbouring properties and they have the all clear. It has not drifted," he said.

"I feel sorry for the guys that did the work because in another 20 years they could be in trouble."

The building owner employed Paul Excavation Services to conduct the demolition, but it employed two contractors.

The contaminated timber that went missing from the construction site when it was closed was not dumped, as had first been feared. The timber was cleaned and removed for use as firewood.

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