Skip to main content
IOSH Magazine: Safety, Health and Wellbeing in the world of work - return to the homepage IOSH Magaazine logo
  • Visit IOSH Magazine on Facebook
  • Visit @ioshmagazine on Twitter
  • Visit IOSH Magazine on LinkedIn
Gender equality
Practice meets perfect
May/June 2023 issue

Main navigation

  • Home
    • Browse previous issues
    • Member accolades
    • Member tributes
  • Health
    • Mental health and wellbeing
      • Bullying
      • Drugs and alcohol
      • Mental health
      • Stress
      • Wellbeing
    • Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
      • Ergonomics
      • Manual handling
      • Vibration
    • Occupational cancer
      • Asbestos
      • Hazardous substances
      • Radiation
  • Safety
    • Incident management
      • Chemicals
      • Electricity
      • Fire
      • First aid
      • Slips and trips
    • Non-health related fatalities
      • Road safety
      • Work at height
    • Risk management
      • Confined spaces
      • Disability
      • Legionella
      • Lifting operations
      • Lone workers
      • Noise
      • Personal protective equipment
      • Violence at work
      • Work equipment
      • Workplace transport
  • Management
    • Human factors
      • Accident reduction
      • Behavioural safety
      • Control of contractors
      • Migrant workers
      • Older workers
      • Reporting
      • Safe systems of work
      • Sickness absence
      • Young workers
    • Leadership and management
      • Employee involvement
      • Management systems
    • Management standards
      • ISO 45001
      • ISO 45003
    • Planning
      • Assurance
      • Compliance
      • Emergency planning
      • Insurance
    • Rehabilitation
      • Personal injury
      • Return to work
    • Strategy
      • Corporate governance
      • Performance/results
      • Regulation/enforcement
      • Reputation
    • Sustainability
      • Human capital and Vision Zero
  • Skills
    • Communication
    • Personal performance
      • Achieving Fellowship
      • Career development
      • Competencies
      • Personal development
      • Professional skills
      • Qualifications
    • Stakeholder management
    • Working with others
      • Leadership
      • Future Leaders
  • Jobs
  • Covid-19
  • Knowledge Bank
    • Back to basics
    • Book club
    • Infographics
    • Podcast
    • Reports
    • Webinars
    • Videos
  • Products & Services
  • Management
    • Human factors
      • Sickness absence
      • Accident reduction
      • Behavioural safety
      • Control of contractors
      • Migrant workers
      • Older workers
      • Reporting
      • Safe systems of work
      • Young workers
    • Leadership and management
      • Employee involvement
      • Leadership
      • Management systems
    • Management standards
      • ISO 45001
      • ISO 45003
    • Planning
      • Assurance
      • Compliance
      • Emergency planning
      • Insurance
    • Strategy
      • Corporate governance
      • Performance/results
      • Regulation/enforcement
      • Reputation
    • Sustainability
      • Human capital and Vision Zero
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • Mental health and wellbeing
      • Bullying
      • Drugs and alcohol
      • Mental health
      • Stress
      • Wellbeing
    • Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
      • Ergonomics
      • Manual handling
      • Vibration
    • Occupational cancer
      • Asbestos
      • Hazardous substances
      • Radiation
  • Safety
    • Incident management
      • Chemicals
      • Electricity
      • Fire
      • First aid
      • Slips and trips
    • Non-health related fatalities
      • Road safety
      • Work at height
    • Risk management
      • Confined spaces
      • Disability
      • Legionella
      • Lifting operations
      • Lone workers
      • Noise
      • Personal protective equipment
      • Violence at work
      • Work equipment
      • Workplace transport
  • Skills
    • Communication
    • Personal performance
      • Career development
      • Competencies
      • Personal development
      • Qualifications
      • Professional skills
      • Achieving Fellowship
    • Stakeholder management
    • Working with others
      • Leadership
      • Future Leaders
  • Transport and logistics
  • Third sector
  • Retail
  • Mining and quarrying
  • Rail
  • Rehabilitation
    • Personal injury
    • Return to work
  • Utilities
  • Manufacturing and engineering
  • Construction
  • Sector: IOSH Branch
    • Sector: Northern Ireland
    • Sector: Midland
    • Sector: Merseyside
    • Sector: Manchester and North West Districts
    • Sector: Ireland East
    • Sector: Ireland
    • Sector: Edinburgh
    • Sector: Desmond-South Munster
    • Sector: Qatar
    • Sector: Oman
    • Singapore
    • Sector: South Coast
    • Sector: South Wales
    • Sector: Thames Valley
    • Sector: Tyne and Wear
    • Sector: UAE
    • Sector: West of Scotland
    • Sector: Yorkshire
  • Healthcare
  • Sector: Fire
  • Sector: Financial/general services
  • Sector: Energy
  • Education
  • Sector: Communications and media
  • Chemicals
  • Sector: Central government
  • Catering and leisure
  • Agriculture and forestry
  • Sector: Local government
  • Sector: IOSH Group
    • Sector: Financial Services
    • Sector: Sports Grounds and Events
    • Rural industries
    • Sector: railway
    • Public Services
    • Sector: Offshore
    • Sector: Hazardous Industries
    • Sector: Food and Drink
    • Sector: Fire Risk Management
    • Education
    • Construction
    • Sector: Aviation and Aerospace
Quick links:
  • Home
  • Categories
  • Topics
  • Health
  • Occupational cancer
  • Asbestos
Control of contractors
Electricity
Employee involvement
Reporting
Safe systems of work
Construction
Sector: Energy
News

Asbestos found in Sydney Opera House renovation

Open-access content Thursday 3rd August 2017
From the archive:  Just so you know, this article is more than 3 years old.

The possible presence of asbestos was identified on 24 July during the construction of an accessibility tunnel alongside the Joan Sutherland Theatre, where 25 employees of electrical contractor Downer had been working.

According to the Electrical Trades Union (ETU), Downer and construction firm Laing O'Rourke, which was awarded the renewal contract last September, had failed to notify regulator SafeWork NSW when the substance tested positive two days later.

The union later found that almost all electricians working on the renovation had not received asbestos awareness training. It advised members working on the site to halt all activities on electrical service ducts, troffers and penetrations until further notice and called for new risk assessments to be undertaken, as well as improved training and personal protective equipment for workers.

A spokesperson for the Opera House told Australian Associated Press that the independent investigation would look into whether the building's hazardous materials safety procedures were being followed.

She also confirmed that the asbestos had been removed and Laing O'Rourke had obtained a safety clearance certificate, but acknowledged that several of Laing O'Rourke's unionised subcontractors had downed tools.

Construction union CFMEU said the dispute had "escalated" today (3 August) after an independent industrial hygienist, selected by workers on the project's safety committee to inspect work practices and training, was refused access to the site by Laing O'Rourke.

ETU NSW assistant secretary Justin Page said it was "absolutely shocking" that the company had failed to implement proper safety precautions despite the foreseeable risk that "a building of the Opera House's age would contain asbestos".

The country's Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency said the incident has highlighted the need for an "urgent national programme" to remove asbestos in buildings.

The agency's CEO Peter Tighe said: "The regulations to protect people working in buildings require an asbestos register, a management plan, appraisal of areas where asbestos is identified, and removal of high risk asbestos before workers go in. There is clearly a breakdown of the system and it has failed in the duty of care for workers at the Sydney Opera House.

"We really need to move from management of asbestos to a proactive programme of removing high-risk asbestos from Australian buildings."

You may also be interested in...

 Work at height: Elevated risk

Monday 7th August 2017
Falls from height are still the number one cause of workplace injuries and fatalities, which explains why the powered access industry has thrived in the past 35 years as employers and contractors increasingly switch on to the specialised equipment available.
Open-access content

 Qatar Rail: The heat is on

Wednesday 9th August 2017
June, July and August are sweltering months in the State of Qatar; daytime temperatures reach the mid-forties Celsius. For the hundreds of thousands of migrant workers on construction sites across its capital Doha, the extreme heat and humidity are major occupational health risks.
Open-access content

 Derran Williams, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Friday 25th August 2017
Unusually among the leaders interviewed for this magazine, Derran Williams CMIOSH has no one reporting to him. Yet he is responsible for overseeing the safety and health of hundreds of thousands of workers in massive infrastructure projects from road schemes to power stations across eastern Europe and beyond.As associate director and senior health and safety adviser at the London-based European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Williams has to verify that the standards of protection are acceptable on the schemes the bank funds.
Open-access content

 Rail workers jailed over fraudulent Thameslink safety scheme

Wednesday 2nd August 2017
The dishonest practices started in 2010 when the Costain/Laing O’Rourke joint venture CoLOR was carrying out upgrade works to the Thameslink ticket hall at Farringdon station. At the heart of the corruption was Innocent Obeikwe, a senior manager at CoLOR responsible for the project’s safety and health procedures.
Open-access content
©iStock/ChrisPole

 Refurb contractors exposed to asbestos at primary school

Wednesday 26th July 2017
A workman identified suspect asbestos-containing materials on 24 July 2012 when he removed part of a suspended ceiling at St Mary’s School in Waltham Forest. Asbestos fibres were subsequently found in several areas of the primary school.The London Borough of Waltham Forest had a contract with NPS London to manage the development and refurbishment of its estate, Southwark Crown Court was told. NPS appointed Mansell Construction Services (now Balfour Beatty) as the principal contractor for the work, which subcontracted Squibb Group for the asbestos removal.
Open-access content

 Team building promotes wellbeing, study finds

Friday 25th August 2017
The study, published in the Journal for Environmental and Public Health, draws on almost 1,400 international scientific reports and papers that indicate performing shared activities at work can create positive social atmospheres that help staff feel happier.  Though the activities do not have to be “big or complex”, the review found, researchers said they should occur more than once, a for example three one-hour workshops, and involve all employees.
Open-access content
Topics
Asbestos
Control of contractors
Electricity
Employee involvement
Reporting
Safe systems of work
Construction
Sector: Energy
News
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in
  • Mail
  • Print

Latest Jobs

Health and Safety Improvement Manager

Leeds
£35000 - £50000 per annum
Reference
5452992

SHEQ Systems Advisor

Up to £40000.00 per annum + Car Allowance
Reference
5452988

Senior Health and Safety Manager

Reading
Up to £65000.00 per annum + Great Car Allowance & Benefits
Reference
5452983
See all jobs »

Sign up for regular e-alerts

Receive the latest news and features, free to your inbox

Sign up

Subscribe to IOSH magazine

Receive the print edition straight to your door

Subscribe
IOSH Covers
​
FOLLOW US
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube
CONTACT US
Contact us
Tel +44 (0)20 7880 6200
​

IOSH

About IOSH
Become a member
IOSH Events
MyIOSH

Information

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy

Get in touch

Contact us
Advertise with us
Subscribe to IOSH magazine
Write for IOSH magazine

IOSH Magazine

Health
Safety
Management
Skills
IOSH Jobs

© 2023 IOSH • IOSH is not responsible for the content of external sites

ioshmagazine.com and IOSH Magazine are published by Redactive Media Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part is not allowed without written permission.

Redactive Media Group Ltd, 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ