It’s easy to assume that no jobs pose an asbestos risk these days because asbestos hasn’t been used in New Zealand in decades. Despite it no longer being imported into the country, that doesn’t mean we still aren’t at risk of exposure. After all, it remains prevalent in tens of thousands of homes built before 2000 throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.

The average homeowner might only be at risk of asbestos exposure if they disturb or break asbestos-containing materials (ACM). However, the following jobs might put people at an increased exposure risk if great care isn’t taken.

Construction

Construction workers involved in renovations, alterations, repairs, and demolition work can be at an increased risk of asbestos exposure compared to the average member of the public. Their line of work involves working with asbestos-containing materials, such as flooring, roofing, and walls, and potentially exposing themselves to asbestos fibres if any of those materials are friable.

Fortunately, as dangerous as the construction industry can be, workers can take several measures to keep themselves safe. They can treat all pre-2000s building materials as if they contain asbestos and call in asbestos removal teams rather than attempting to remove ACM themselves.

Plumbing

Plumbers called to properties to fix pipes, renew plumbing, and stop leaks might not think they’re at risk of asbestos exposure. However, a number of pre-2000s building materials related to plumbing are known to contain asbestos, such as:

• Pipe and tank lagging

• Mains water pipes

• Wall cavity lagging

• Joining compounds, sealants, and adhesives

• Asbestos cement downpipes

• Side flashing

• Gutters

• Stormwater traps and pipes 

If in excellent condition, these materials can pose minimal risk. However, plumbers tasked with the important job of fixing issues relating to these materials or removing them from a property might be at risk of asbestos exposure.

All plumbers are advised to read and abide by the recommended practices within the Approved Code of Practice for the Management and Removal of Asbestos to keep themselves and others safe.

Firefighting

Firefighters see properties when they’re in their worst state – on fire. Standard building materials can be hazardous enough when exposed to fire, but asbestos-containing materials are even more so. Asbestos exposed to fire can become brittle and breakable, resulting in fibres being released into the air.  

While water from firefighting appliances can prevent dust from accumulating in the air, it’s typically only for the amount of time the burning structure remains wet. Once the fire is out, asbestos-containing materials can dry and, in their damaged form, release dangerous fibres into the air.

Firefighters might not be able to prevent entering asbestos-contaminated buildings, but they can at least keep themselves safe when they must. Wearing breathing apparatus and undertaking a decontamination process are two of the most important measures to take.

Industrial Work

It might seem like the biggest asbestos risks relate to construction, especially since we often hear about asbestos in building materials. However, asbestos was used in thousands of products, not just those we used to build structures.

Industrial workers, such as mechanics, machinery operations, and chemical workers, might all be at risk of asbestos exposure. A number of products in their line of work once contained asbestos and, sometimes, still do. A surprising number of brake pads, gaskets, and fireproofing products were used in machinery and vehicles, and we’re still encountering them to this day.

Alongside testing vehicles for asbestos, mechanics are also encouraged to:

• Avoid using compressed air to clean dust

• Avoid using dry rags and brushes to clean asbestos-containing brake pads

• Not use household vacuum cleaners

• Avoid wearing work clothes at home

• Not having food or drink in the work area

• Use an H-class vacuum cleaner

• Use wet wipe sand rags

• Wear disposable overalls

• Keeping people out of the work area

• Double-bag asbestos waste and dispose of it safely

Electricians

While electricians might not seem like they would fall within the group of people most at risk of asbestos exposure, they do. They can be regularly exposed to asbestos fibres by dealing with asbestos-containing products like textured ceilings, fuses boxes, and even oven door seals.

WorkSafe provides a variety of helpful steps electricians can take to keep themselves safe, including PPE use, worksite management, and responsible disposal.

It can also be essential to undertake asbestos awareness training courses, which can assist with:

• Learning relevant information about asbestos in the electrical industry

• Identifying asbestos hazards

• Learning handling and control measures

• Understanding the different asbestos types

Let the Experts Take Care of Asbestos

You might not be able to avoid working with asbestos-containing materials in your line of work, but you do have control over your exposure. If you suspect asbestos might be present, put measures in place to keep yourself and others safe. You can also rely on asbestos removal experts like Chemcare for all your testing, encapsulation, and removal needs.