Asbestos at West Oval
WORK is under way to remove asbestos-containing material discovered at West Oval, in North Geelong.
The material was found in a soil mound at the southern end of the precinct, which is being redeveloped.
“The asbestos-containing material is old building material that was buried in the soil mounds,” City of Greater Geelong city services director Guy Wilson-Browne said.
“This is not unusual for older building sites.”
Nearby residents were informed of the find via a letter distributed on July 10.
Low-level material was removed from the northern end of the oval last month over a two-week period.
“Additional asbestos was later found in the soil mounds at the southern ends,” Mr Wilson-Browne said.
He said this new detection carried an extremely low risk of fibre release and exposure.
Removal began on Monday, July 13, and is expected to take about three weeks.
Mr Wilson-Browne said strict safety measures were in place and there was no risk to nearby residents.
“The playground at the southwest corner of the precinct will be closed during the works,” he said.
“The oval, netball courts and velodrome will remain open to the public during construction activities when safe access can be maintained.
“A shade cloth will be established at the site as per hygienist recommendations.
“Air-monitoring units will also be installed to capture air samples and detect any fibre movements in real time.”
Removal works are being carried out by a licensed contractor, with workers donning hazardous material suits and personal protective equipment.
Mr Wilson-Browne said dust suppression management was in place. “Air monitoring is in place and the city will work with WorkSafe to ensure the removal is undertaken safely,” he said.