Working with asbestos? Updated guidance to support safe and healthy work is live, as are new tools for better manual task risk screening.
Updated guidance on working with asbestos has been released by WorkSafe, as well as refreshed manual task risk screening tools.
What it calls ‘the first suite of updated guidance to support safe and healthy work with asbestos’ has been published, with further guidance under development, it says.
“With input from industry, we are currently working on redeveloping and updating our asbestos-related guidance. The redeveloped guidance will be published in three stages.” Stage one was published in August 2024.
It has confirmed there are two further stages to follow.
Stage two will include:
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Good practice guidance for asbestos surveyors
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Good practice guidance for asbestos removalists
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Good practice guidance for asbestos assessors
Stage three will cover:
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Protective clothing and equipment for working with asbestos - guidance for workers
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Working with asbestos: Safe work practices - guidance for PCBUs and workers
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Working with or near asbestos: Information for specific trades - guidance for PCBUs and workers
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Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos Regulations) 2016 - interpretive guidelines
Until otherwise announced, the existing Approved Code of Practice: Management and Removal of Asbestos will remain the primary point of reference for enforceable good practice in asbestos management and removal. The Regulations that underpin the ACOP and the redeveloped guidance documents remain unchanged.
Manual task risk screening update
Meanwhile, WorkSafe has issued new manual tasks screening and risk assessment tools. The first set of tools for manual task screening, the assessment of manual handling risks (lifting and lowering, carrying, team handling), and identifying musculoskeletal harm contributing factors are now available on WorkSafe's website.
These tools have been adapted for New Zealand based on resources from the United Kingdom. Tools for assessing repetitive upper limb activities and pushing and pulling tasks are currently being developed, according to WorkSafe.
