9 June 2015
Media Release

EPMU Construction gets unsafe asbestos work shut down

Construction workers and the public are still at risk of asbestos exposure in Christchurch, with EPMU Construction today alerting WorkSafe to an incident of asbestos-containing pipe being worked on in the central city in a high-traffic pedestrian area.

Hemi Martin and Dave Mier, organisers for EPMU Construction, were conducting site visits earlier today when they noted trenching work being done on an asbestos-containing pipe, with members of the public walking by and no proper containment procedures in place.

WorkSafe was immediately alerted to the risk, and work at the site has now ceased, with the pipe being covered until an inspector can attend the scene.

“Asbestos exposure has been a huge risk through the rebuild, and this case highlights that it still is,” says Hemi Martin. “Today, we were there at the right place and the right time and limited the risk both to workers and the public.

“Construction companies and workers need to get their heads around the fact that asbestos is a killer, and EPMU Construction will not back down over this issue. There is no “safe” asbestos exposure level.

“It was a matter of luck that we saw this unsafe work being done today. Keeping workers and the public safe shouldn’t come down to luck.”

ENDS

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