The WorkSafe website will be unavailable on Tuesday 16 September from 12pm–5pm due to planned maintenance.
Our other online services, including the online services portal(external link) and Energy Safety portal(external link), will remain available.
To notify us of an injury, illness or incident at work, visit our online services portal(external link). For urgent notifications, please call us on 0800 030 040. For general or non-urgent enquiries, email us at info@worksafe.govt.nz.
Any buildings and structures built before 2000 may have asbestos in them. Asbestos was used in a wide range of building materials, such as cladding, roofing, flooring, electrical components, and insulation material.
When homes and other buildings containing asbestos are damaged during floods, severe storms, fires, or earthquakes, the asbestos-containing materials can become eroded, disturbed, broken, or friable. This can cause a health risk to homeowners, property owners, property managers, and the community.
When damaged asbestos-containing materials are wet, they are not as dangerous, but once dry they can cause a risk to health if fibres are released that can become airborne and be inhaled.
If the damaged structure is presumed to be asbestos containing, a licensed asbestos assessor or licensed asbestos removalist should also be contacted before reoccupation.
Businesses, including sole traders, are required to manage risks associated with asbestos exposure, including completing an asbestos management plan for all workplace buildings and structures built before 1 January 2000. An asbestos management plan sets out where any identified asbestos or asbestos-containing material is present, its condition, and how it will be managed.
Prioritising emergency work
For asbestos licence holders, if there is emergency work that needs to be done, email your request through to asbestos@worksafe.govt.nz – and this will get prioritised.
Last updated