Australia is partnering with government and industry to increase awareness of safe handling and removal of asbestos.
Over 60 industry representatives attended a workshop held by Australia’s Solomon Islands Infrastructure Program, with presentations led by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) and Honiara City Council.
MID’s Deputy Director of Architecture and Building, Mr Paul Chris, said the asbestos presentations were very informative.
“Looking at buildings from the 1980s, many of which contain asbestos, we still live with them today,” Mr Chris said.
“We need to ensure people understand the regulations and engage service providers with a good understanding of safety procedures.”
Patteson Fakavai, Architect and Asbestos “B” License Removalist at MID, said many people, including builders, are not fully aware of the presence of asbestos in building materials, or how to handle it safely.
“Without proper knowledge, they may unknowingly deal with asbestos-containing materials, exposing themselves to serious health risks,” Mr Fakavai said.
“The main takeaway is that proper training is required to deal with asbestos.”
“It’s not something that can be dealt with casually; strict procedures must be followed to ensure safety.”
The Solomon Islands National Building Code, currently under consideration by government, contains provisions for safe handling of asbestos.
Australia’s High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Rod Hilton, said Australia is a strong supporter of the legislation, as it would lift the standard of construction and workplace safety for all Solomon Islands infrastructure.
“Workplace safety is a number one priority for Australia’s vast infrastructure support to Solomon Islands – especially when rehabilitating or upgrading existing infrastructure,” High Commissioner Hilton said.
“Building better, and building safely, are central to Australian-supported infrastructure in Solomon Islands.”
This was the 14th industry training held by Australia’s Solomon Islands Infrastructure Program, with the goal of increasing the number of local contractors winning and delivering Australian-supported infrastructure.
The next Workforce Skills Series Workshop will be on Project Management and Cashflow, 30 May 2025. Contact [email protected] for more information.
– AHC
