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Mesothelioma: A Killer
Lurks in the Lungs |
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Asbestos demand delivered
Melinda Browning
Wednesday, 29 September 2004
ECHUCA Regional Health has been given an ultimatum to prove the hospital is asbestos-free by today.
The Health Services Union has demanded to see documentation of the hospital's asbestos elimination procedure within 24 hours, following a meeting between the parties yesterday afternoon.
"We will stay on alert until we have got all those documents," Health Services Union state secretary Jeff Jackson said.
"The department agreed the hospital should furnish us with all the details of their asbestos auditing and elimination processes.
"If the documentation is not up to scratch, there will be more the union will do to ensure a safe work place."Concerns were raised last week hospital staff and patients were at risk of exposure to asbestos as a result of demolition work to take place at the Echuca Hospital.
Mr Jackson said yesterday's meeting was fruitful in initiating an agreement between the union and hospital on issues surrounding the renovation work.
"It is a very good outcome for us," he said."We came away with some processes which we are very happy with."In the wake of yesterday's meeting, the State Government announced it was satisfied patients and staff at the hospital were safe.
"The government believes there is no asbestos risk for staff or the community at the hospital," a government spokeswoman said.
"The hospital has basically talked us through the steps it has taken.
"We are satisfied with this process and believe the hospital has done the right thing in terms of the asbestos risk."Echuca Hospital acting chief executive Shaun Eldridge said the hospital was confident it had correctly complied with asbestos regulations.
He said an asbestos audit had been completed on August 18, and areas identified as containing asbestos had been earmarked to be demolished and removed in accordance with regulations.
"We will forward back to the union a response on how we deal with it," he said.
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Chair of the Ra'anana Committee for the Environment Vered Molko recently convened a meeting of the city engineer, the head of the engineering department, and the chairman of the city Planning and Building Committee to discuss the matter of asbestos in buildings, reports Al Hasharon.
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