Skinny dipping Exposed to property’s whims
New rules about managing asbestos risk have also created an opportunity for Christchurch-based geotechnology consultancy ENGEO to set up a computer warning system.
Tom Davies, senior asbestos expert, along with Reuben Williams, created the computer software to identify risks that can lead to potentially deadly lung diseases.
It will allow tradesmen such as plumbers or electricians to use smartphones or tablets to scan a barcode placed on a building which will provide a diagram to show where hazards are located, and a property manager they can contact.
‘‘These people often have to work in confined spaces where they might be at risk from breathing in material so this system will help manage that risk.’’
Davies said the most common materials where asbestos could be found were in homes built before the 1980s in vinyl and some wall and ceiling plasters.
There were up to 3500 building products where asbestos could be found but the risk has reduced over time.
New Zealand had a buildings materials factory in Christchurch called Dunrock Industries which operated until 1974.
Another James Hardie facility in Auckland continued until 1987 although asbestos had been phased out of sheet products by 1983.
As well as being used for its insulation and acoustic properties, asbestos was also sometimes used in wine to clarify the finish, while blue asbestos was a filtering component in gas masks.
In 2016 regulations prohibited importation of any asbestos materials into New Zealand.
New rules come into force in April 2018 and failure to prepare an asbestos management plan or keeping it up to date could result in a fine of $50,000 for a company and $10,000 for an individual.
Davies has named his software the Building Materials Information System which sets up the management programme and keeps it up to date.
‘‘There are existing management systems that offer an online asbestos register but not much more.
‘‘We wanted to create a true management tool that not only identified asbestos buildings and asbestos areas inside the building, but also had the ability to track the state of the asbestos over time.’’
The BMIS also provides information about how asbestos risks are being managed, support information on the removal of asbestos, and asbestos awareness training and health monitoring.
The system produces a ‘‘live’’ document where updates are immediately available to all workers onsite, and is simple to use.
‘‘New Zealand is behind Australia and the United Kingdom in the way we deal with asbestos and the new regulations are a positive step forward. Worksafe New Zealand estimates approximately 170 work-related deaths per year are attributed to asbestos.’’
Asbestos was used in building products up to the mid 1980s because of its strength, durability and resistance to fire and water.
Once an asbestos survey has been completed, any subsequent information can be entered and the software takes care of the rest, Davies said.
The system is affordable for small and large businesses, starting at $150.
NGEO is an international consultancy setup in the US in 1971 and in New Zealand in 2010.
It is an employee-owned firm of about 270 geotechnical engineers, geologists, environmental scientists and hydrologists with offices in in Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, and Tauranga.