Asbestos found at New Plymouth power station

Contact Energy’s natural gas power station in New Plymouth has been shut down after asbestos was discovered there late last month.

The asbestos was discovered in pipe lagging and many workers, including EPMU members, may have been exposed.

EPMU national electrocomms organiser Joe Gallagher says Contact is dealing with the situation by the book. “As soon as the company discovered the asbestos they informed the Department of Labour, closed the plant down and began testing.

“The main issue here is that the effects of asbestos exposure can take decades to come to light which means workers and their families face a long period of uncertainty,” says Gallagher, “but one thing we’re encouraging members to do is to make sure they get on the asbestos register so that they are clearly covered by ACC if they become sick later on down the line.”

“We will be talking to Contact about instituting life-long monitoring for affected employees since we know that a single fibre lodged in the walls of the lung can eventually lead to life-threatening conditions,” Gallagher said.

Information about the DoL’s asbestos register is available here and anyone who has worked at the New Plymouth plant should ensure they are listed on it.