Australia: Union walks out over health concerns regarding asbestos

Australian union walks out over health concerns regarding asbestos

Victoria, Australia - Following their complaint that asbestos had not been properly removed from one of Victoria's largest building sites, members of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union have walked off the shopping center project over concerns of worker health and safety.

On Wednesday, nearly 350 workers refused to continue working on the Westfield Doncaster Shoppingtown site after finding out that asbestos removal was taking place at the site while they were working. They were concerned that asbestos fibers from the ripped down ceiling tiles may have spread into the air-conditioning duct, which would circulate them throughout the shopping center.

Myer, the center's owner, responded saying that it was following all the proper procedures regarding asbestos handling and that Worksafe Victoria had approved the work on the site and confirmed in a written report that there was no cause for concern during their inspector's visit. The company added that it performs ongoing scheduled air quality tests and the latest results showed no presence of airborne asbestos fibers.

However, the CFMEU said that Myer's failure to have the potentially deadly substance removed before its union workers began work on the shopping center is a violation of health and safety regulations. The union's assistant state secretary Bill Oliver said the union wasn't aware of the presence of asbestos until members saw a removal contractor moving contaminated tiles while they were working. Exposure to asbestos is known to increase the risk of mesothelioma.

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