Despite asbestos being banned in New Zealand for decades and many industry professionals and homeowners being aware of its dangers, people continue to die from exposure-related illnesses. According to WorkSafe, it’s the number one workplace killer, with more than 200 people dying annually from illnesses like asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

However, many campaigns in Aotearoa New Zealand and other parts of the world might be making a difference. The more we bring asbestos into the headlines, the more we know about it and the more lessons we can learn. Here are some of the most well-known and successful campaigns that are helping to raise asbestos awareness. 

Asbestos Awareness Week 

 In November 2022, WorkSafe announced that they were working with industry partners during Asbestos Awareness Week from November 21-25 to remind businesses and tradies about the importance of protecting workers. The idea was to inform them that there are no more excuses for not protecting workers, especially since asbestos remains the leading workplace killer.  

Asbestos Awareness Week in New Zealand is to Manaaki te taiao, kia ora ai te tangata, or create a safe environment for the wellbeing of our people. 

As part of Asbestos Awareness Week, WorkSafe created a stakeholder pack to assist with awareness. This pack was downloadable online and contained helpful information and resources for individuals and organisations, such as:  

• An email header 

• Facebook and Instagram social images 

• A fact sheet 

• A poster 

• A newsletter insert 

• Website banners and tiles 

These resources also included helpful information for people to learn about what asbestos is, why it’s dangerous, where it can be found, who is at risk, and what you can do if you find it. WorkSafe encouraged businesses to download the stakeholder pack and to contact them at asbestos@worksafe.govt.nz if they require any further information about asbestos.  

Global Asbestos Awareness Week 

While we might have a national Asbestos Awareness Week here in New Zealand, there is also an already established global Asbestos Awareness Week, running from April 1-7. Every year, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization dedicates this week to creating awareness around asbestos exposure, bringing together victims and experts, and providing opportunities to share, learn, and act.  

Global Asbestos Awareness Week is also about providing businesses and individuals with actionable tasks to keep employees safe, such as:  

• Knowing where asbestos is 

• Recording where it is 

• Completing a risk assessment 

• Creating an asbestos management plan 

• Planning to work on asbestos-containing materials (ACM) 

• Informing those who have potentially been exposed 

• Training workers 

• Investigating asbestos incidents 

Global Mesothelioma Awareness Day 

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that grows in the thin tissue lining of major internal organs. It’s aggressive, deadly, and has no cure. 

Most mesothelioma cases happen around the lung tissue lining, but it can also form around the heart, abdomen, and testicles. People diagnosed with mesothelioma typically experience painful coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, unexplained weight loss, and unusual lumps of tissue under the skin. Depending on where the cancer has formed, abdominal pain, swelling, and nausea can also be symptoms. 

Global Mesothelioma Awareness Day happens in September each year and is a way to raise awareness of this rare cancer to help find a cure. To recognise New Zealanders suffering from mesothelioma, a support trust was also set up, Mesothelioma Support and Asbestos Awareness Trust (MSAA). 

Meso Foundation community members first established Mesothelioma Awareness Day in 2004 to not only raise awareness but potentially increase funding for research and the support of people living with this illness and their families.  

There are also many other support services and foundations in New Zealand and worldwide, including:  

• The Cancer Society of New Zealand 

• The International Mesothelioma Program  

• Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation 

• The June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund 

• Pacific Mesothelioma Center 

• Mesothelioma UK 

• National Cancer Institute 

• Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization  

Approved Code of Practice for the Management and Removal of Asbestos  

2016 was a big year for WorkSafe and businesses across the motu. It was the year that WorkSafe released its Approved Code of Practice for the Management and Removal of Asbestos. This form of awareness is perhaps one of the most impactful, with business owners and individuals having a guide and resources to refer to when unsure about managing asbestos and keeping themselves and others safe. 

The code covers all aspects of asbestos management in New Zealand workplaces, with key information for licensed asbestos assessors and PCBUs working with or around asbestos. Now, ignorance is no excuse for not being able to manage asbestos safely and prevent future related illnesses and death.  

Knowledge Is Power 

Asbestos is our number one workplace killer, but it doesn’t have to be. The more we learn from our various successful asbestos awareness campaigns, the easier it might be for us to keep each other safe. If you plan to work with asbestos, talk to the experts. Expert asbestos removalists in NZ can be your very best form of protection.