The Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) is aware of the recent closing of an Australian Federal Police (AFP) building in Fyshwick, ACT, due to friable asbestos found at the site.
The AFP Fyshwick-based site has been issued a prohibition notice by Comcare, which prohibits access until the site is deemed safe and without risk to health and safety arising from asbestos-containing material (ACM).
AFP President Alex Caruana said that closing the site, in accordance with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 was necessary to ensure the safety of AFP members who worked there.
“Friable asbestos is no joking matter. This is the second AFP building in the ACT that has had asbestos concerns in the last 12 months. I’m calling on the AFP to conduct audits and safety checks at all locations across Australia to ensure that members are not exposed to dangerous substances.
“The AFP has previously had issues with dangerous work locations after illicit drug contamination was detected in several AFP offices. As a result, extensive remedial cleaning operations were undertaken, and the AFP now has a national testing program in all offices to ensure safe workplaces.
“Policing is already a tough job that impacts the mental and physical health of members. Now, our members have to face unsafe work sites and are exposed to a substance that we know is dangerous.
The AFPA acknowledges that the AFP has reported the incident as per the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 criteria as a notifiable incident in accordance with Section 37 – Dangerous Incident.
AFPA President Alex Caruana said that the AFP needs to better engage with the affected members.
“We’ve had many of our members reach out to us concerned about the safety and the state of the site in Fyshwick, as well as the AFP’s response to the incident. The AFP needs to be more proactive and engage with affected members, not ask them to send an email with the information.
“The site is a training facility, and the AFP should know who attended the site for training and when. They must contact all these members and engage with them and not put the onus back on the members to send an email if they believe they have been exposed.
“Word from our members is that little care and acknowledgement by the organisation of this incident has occurred, and members are feeling let down and not supported by the organisation and its leaders. Mr Caruana said.
For comments:
AFPA Media and Government Relations Manager Troy Roberts – (02) 6285 1677 – troy.r@afpa.org.au
