Works on a $288 million major road project over the Mitchell Freeway has ceased after a suspected asbestos discovery on site.
However, the union claims it raised the alarm over possible asbestos contamination more than three months ago.
Main Roads WA released a statement about the discovery on Friday, just two days after it was revealed the project in Stirling and Innaloo had reached a major milestone.
On Tuesday, the project entered its second and final stage, which included a “launching” of the two bridges over the Mitchell Freeway.
The Stephenson Avenue Extension project will feature an overpass built over the freeway to ease congestion in the area, especially for commuters travelling to and from Osborne Park.
Construction was said to be in its final six months and expected to be finished before the end of the year, but this latest update has put that date in jeopardy.
“Main Roads advises it has implemented asbestos management measures on the Stephenson Avenue Extension Stage 2 construction site following the discovery of suspected asbestos within stockpiles of spoil material,” it said.
“All work on the construction site has now ceased until it is determined safe for workers to return.”
CFMEU WA state secretary Mick Buchan said the union had known of the contamination as early as February when union organisers were on-site following a workplace injury.
“As is often the case, it has taken an unfortunate incident such as this to bring to the surface the serious concerns that the CFMEU has had over the management of this project,” Mr Buchan said.
“Asbestos is a killer; we’ve been fighting this deadly material for generations. Make no mistake about it, Acciona and WorkSafe have put workers’ lives and livelihoods in jeopardy, as well as the safety and wellbeing of the general public.”
A portion of the project is located above the old Hertha Road landfill site in Stirling, and samples of the material were gathered last week for testing.
The site has now been closed, and we are awaiting test results.
Main Roads said the spoil material stockpiles represent less than 10 per cent of the total project construction site and have now been made exclusion zones.
It said the risk to the community was low due to suppression from recent rainfall but that it would implement a range of measures to mitigate risk.
This includes applying dust suppression polymer over the affected areas, installing air monitoring equipment across the site, and appointing an accredited contaminated sites auditor and other experts to help manage the site.
Main Roads is working closely with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, WorkSafe, the Department of Health, and construction contractor S2ME to manage the stockpiles safely and confirm any spoil as contaminated.
via The Novum Times
The Novum Times 