Asbestos action
Volume 11, No. 39, March 23, 2006

Possible risk: The suspect building rubble at the Holsworthy Barracks training site. Photo by Bill Cuneen.

A NUMBER of soldiers may have been exposed to asbestos at the Urban Search and Rescue facility at Holsworthy Barracks.
Defence, in conjunction with all relevant agencies, is treating this matter with the utmost seriousness. The health and safety of all personnel involved is of paramountconcern.

Col Steve Rudzki, Director of Occupational Health and Safety –Army, visited Holsworthy Barracks on March 10 to update soldiers on the situation. He provided an update on the current situation and went through the policy detailing action on possible exposure to asbestos (Health Bulletin 13/2005).

Serving members should contact their local MO and complete an asbestos exposure questionnaire and AC 563. They should then register with the Defence Asbestos Information Hotline on 1800 000 655 or 1800 000 677.

Former serving members and APS staff are advised to contact the Asbestos Hotline directly to register their possible exposure and receive information about their futuremanagement.

Current evidence suggests that the level of risk attached to exposure to asbestos in this incident is low. Detailed testing is now under way to inform the level of risk.

Defence is currently ascertaining numbers and locations of personnel involved in training or observation at the site who may have been exposed. Defence will contact all potentially affected Defence personnel in the near future.

The New South Wales Fire Brigade, in cooperation with Defence, has initiated a project to remediate contamination on the site. The site will remain closed until certified safe.

Health Bulletin 13/2005 (Health management of possible exposure to airborne asbestos within the Australian Defence Force) can be found at: http://defweb.cbr.defence.gov.au/home/documents/DATA/ADFPUBS/DHB/HB13_05.PDF