The construction union has claimed people's safety was put at risk in Bullaburra on Friday, October 24 when safety procedures allegedly weren't followed during the removal of pipes containing asbestos from the highway construction site opposite the railway station.
But the Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) has moved to allay any fears, saying the work was carried out to relevant standards.
Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union state organiser David Curtain told the Gazette he was driving through Bullaburra when he noticed an exclusion zone for asbestos removal had been set up at the site, operated by the company Seymour White, but "it didn't look right".
"There was fencing around the area but there were big gaps in the plastic so the area was pretty much open [exposed] to the public," Mr Curtain said during a follow-up site visit on October 30.
"When I was there a young mother was walking past on the footpath with her baby in a pram.
"Of the four [workers] there, only one had full personal protection equipment on and to the best of our knowledge only one guy had demonstrated that he had the required accreditation to remove asbestos... Workers have expressed real concerns to the union about the way safety is being managed."
An RMS spokesperson confirmed on November 3 that Seymour Whyte began to remove and dispose of bonded asbestos from pipes at the Bullaburra site on October 24.
"Work on the asbestos removal activity was suspended briefly on 24 October for an inspection by WorkCover which found the work was being carried out according to relevant legislation and licensing requirements," the RMS spokesperson said.
"A temporary fence was installed around the site and removal work completed by a specialist subcontractor monitored by an accredited supervisor.
"The type of bonded asbestos found and the associated removal work did not present any risk to nearby residents or contractors.
"RMS will work closely with the community to ensure the upgrade continues to be carried out safely.
"Safety is of the highest priority to RMS and its contractors."
