Station at centre of second asbestos scare: [6 NSW Country Edition]
Stapleton, John. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 16 Mar 2006: 3.
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Abstract
The asbestos at Edgecliff station was discovered as a result of an audit of the 302 stations in the Sydney rail network, with surveys of only nine stations completed so far.
The audit prioritised stations where contractors had been working and found that fibro sheeting had been disturbed at two stations -- Edgecliff and Camellia, an unmanned station in the city's west.
Railcorp chief executive Vince Graham said air quality tests at both stations had come back clear but dust particles tested as a precautionary measure showed traces of asbestos. The dust at Edgecliff was found on top of a cabinet.
THE NSW Government is facing its second asbestos scandal in a week, after the discovery of the killer fibre shut down one of Sydney's busiest railway stations and raised fears that many staff across the network may have been exposed.
Workers at Edgecliff station in Sydney's eastern suburbs were notified of the risks they faced and will be offered counselling and medical assistance.
The find follows revelations earlier this month that hundreds of the state's emergency workers may have been exposed at a training facility at Holsworthy, in western Sydney.
The asbestos at Edgecliff station was discovered as a result of an audit of the 302 stations in the Sydney rail network, with surveys of only nine stations completed so far.
The audit prioritised stations where contractors had been working and found that fibro sheeting had been disturbed at two stations -- Edgecliff and Camellia, an unmanned station in the city's west.
Railcorp chief executive Vince Graham said air quality tests at both stations had come back clear but dust particles tested as a precautionary measure showed traces of asbestos. The dust at Edgecliff was found on top of a cabinet.
Mr Graham said up to 50 staff who had worked at the stations over the past 20 months would be contacted and counselling and medical assistance provided. "We are going back over rosters to ensure staff are provided with appropriate support and medical testing," he said.
"We are taking appropriate action. We are closing the booking office until we can guarantee it is safe for our staff to work there. There are hundreds of thousands of homes around Sydney that were built in the 50s and 60s using this fibro product. Our stations are no different."
The rail audit began after asbestos material was disturbed by a contractor at the booking office of Eastwood station, in the city's northwest.
Opposition Leader Peter Debnam, whose constituents use Edgecliff station, said while the Government had trumpeted its victory over James Hardie Industries in forcing it to pay compensation to asbestos victims, it had failed to protect its own workers.
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