Education Ministry clamp down on asbestos exposure in schools
The new system should be ready to go by September.
Photo:
How schools get their exposure to asbestos assessed and clean-ups done will be changed, after some patchy jobs by contractors.
More than a year ago, the Ministry of Education began setting up a system to keep out 'cowboys' and only let in good operators.
The new system should be ready to go by September, after years of problems, sometimes exposing children unnecessarily or tying schools up in long, costly fixes.
The ministry has spent months consulting the industry about its new accredited list of suppliers and says hopes to achieve consistently good standards from asbestos services.
"While there have been instances of poor remediation and asbestos management in schools, we are seeing positive progress across the industry," said school property chief executive Jerome Sheppard.
Fibres can be released when asbestos is drilled or broken, and breathing them in can be deadly over time. .
Last year, RNZ reported on several poorly done jobs, schools criticising the ministry for its lack of help - school boards are primarily liable over asbestos - and officials looking at introducing accredited lists.
The ministry was now reviewing the consultation it got from contractors about the list idea, said Sheppard.
"The new accredited supplier list is expected to be in place by September 2025."
A single list will covered consultants, licensed removalists and accredited laboratories for testing to make sure schools are clear after a clean-up.
One problem was ensuring companies employed qualified staff, who knew what they were doing, official reports said.
"At this stage, there is no intention to restrict the use of labour hire by accredited suppliers," said Sheppard.
"However, we will expect all workers, whether directly employed or contracted through labour hire firms, to hold the appropriate qualifications, training and experience to undertake asbestos-related work safely and compliantly."
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