The Health & Safety At Work Act 2016, defines two roles with a duty of care for asbestos management, they are a:
A PCBU could be a building contractor, building owner or lead contractor on either a commercial or residential construction site.
As a PCBU, you have a responsibility to provide a safe working environment. Given asbestos is the number one workplace killer in New Zealand, there are stringent controls and legislation governing its management.
If your building holds asbestos containing materials (ACM’s), you need to ensure that there is an Asbestos Management Plan in place and that those who occupy the premises, or carry out work on it, adhere to it. You also have a responsibility to periodically review the plan.
The Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 stipulate that the asbestos management plan must include information about the following:
The plan must be available to “a worker who has carried out, carries out, or intends to carry out work at the workplace”.
PCBU’s also have a duty to review their asbestos management plan.
The Act also stipulates that a PCBU that has an asbestos management plan, must ensure that the plan is reviewed and, if necessary, revised if:
Fibresafe NZ Asbestos Management Plans identifies the risks posed by the asbestos present in your property and sets out procedures to control them and involves: