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ASBESTOS has been found in a roof panel at Perth’s new $1.2 billion children’s hospital, which will force the replacement of the entire eighth floor atrium roof and require workers to undergo testing for exposure.
The hospital is scheduled to officially open in October
Asbestos is banned in Australia because of its links to cancer and other health risks.
WA Health Minister John Day said workers exposed to the substance called chrysotile will be tested.
The detection of asbestos has stopped work at Perth’s new children’s hospital and put more heat on the project’s contractor.
Mr Day said it was very disappointing that it had occurred and the difficult task of replacing 150 panels, which were imported from China and imported by a company called Yuanda, was contractor John Holland’s responsibility.
Mr Day said he was hopeful the scare wouldn’t delay the hospital’s opening but said a full assessment would need to be undertaken.
A worker discovered a white powder in a panel while installing a ceiling fan that looked like hazardous white asbestos, or chrysotile, which can cause cancer and is banned in Australia.
The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union said its own independent tests had also found asbestos was present.
Asbestos found in new $1.2b Perth children’s hospital
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