The central Auckland fire station has been closed since last month due to asbestos discovered. Photo: Stuff / Abigail Dougherty
WorkSafe says it regards the asbestos found at Auckland's main fire station as a high-risk nature rather than just medium risk.
A survey a fortnight ago commissioned by the firefighters' union found high-risk asbestos, but one done in 2020 for Fire and Emergency found only medium risk.
The City Station has been largely shut for almost three weeks after three separate discoveries of asbestos.
WorkSafe said today if there were differences in test results it always defaulted to the highest finding.
"In some circumstances there have been differences in this information and we have awaited the resolution of those differences," it said of the fire station.
Tests have come back clear so far for dangerous fibres in the air at the fire station.
WorkSafe has issued a non-disturbance notice and three prohibition notices covering the spaces where asbestos was found.
However, it said "it's not WorkSafe's responsibility to monitor the management of asbestos-related hazards".
FENZ had an asbestos management plan done for the station in July 2020.
But the union is questioning if the plan was followed when contractors were working in the ceiling and on other renovations at various times over recent months.
The plan said 'Restricted Access' signs were meant to go up at ceiling access points.
FENZ's asbestos survey in 2020 rated the insulation lagging around pipes in the roof cavity as a medium risk.
But the survey for the union rated six findings in the ceilings as an 11, on a hazard rating that tops out at 12.
"Both organisations are required to continue working together to mitigate future risks," a WorkSafe spokesperson said.
WorkSafe did not respond to the question of whether FENZ had warned the contractors about the high-risk finding.
The workplace regulator has had a stop-start programme going since 2021 to check on asbestos handling in Auckland fire stations.
The Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood said in August 2021 he was advised that "WorkSafe has been working directly with Fire and Emergency New Zealand on the issue of asbestos".
