[Catalist] Gauze mats

[Leon Harris]

So you are saying that we have gauze for concern !
It is not a very good pun, but I am trying asbestos I can !

Thanks for the update, I'd have missed it if I hadn't read it here.

Cheers,
Leon

On 15/11/2018 9:16 AM, John Clarke wrote:
> Hi All,
> Please note the 4 mains points:
>
> Although your mats have a certificate stating that they are asbestos 
> free the testing is incomplete and does not pick up Tremolite.
>
> All rooms and cupboards containing the  suspect mats are to be closed/ 
> sealed.
>
> The mats should not be handled by any members of staff, or students.
>
> A certified professional needs to deal with this issue according to 
> required legislative processes.
>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> With the article in today’s West Australian and on the Channel 7 news 
>> this morning I am sure most of you are aware that there are issues 
>> with the ceramic centre gauze mats used in school laboratories (as 
>> well as in many other work places). The issues that have arisen are 
>> not new, they have been known in England and New Zealand for some 
>> time and those countries have put actions in place to deal with the 
>> problem.
>
>> It is highly likely the mats you have in your school contain 
>> Tremolite, a carcinogenic fibrous compound in the asbestos family. 
>> Several schools have had some mats tested and they have returned 
>> positive results to Tremolite. Certificates that have been issued by 
>> suppliers state the mats are free from asbestos. The testing 
>> conducted is incomplete as it is done using only polarised light 
>> which does not pick up Tremolite. To determine the presence of this, 
>> analysis must be done using a scanning electron microscope.
>
>> Best practice is to now consider that the mats in your school are 
>> contaminated and to take the necessary action to dispose of them 
>> appropriately and remove the problem. Given several positive test 
>> results have been obtained, procedures must be put in place that 
>> comply with the appropriate legislative requirements. The mats should 
>> not be handled by any members of staff, or students. If the mats are 
>> stored in cupboards these should be closed and sealed and all of the 
>> rooms they are used in are to be closed. A professional company needs 
>> to be employed to package and remove the mats and to clean and test 
>> all of the laboratories and storage areas according to required 
>> legislative processes.
>
>> If you have any further questions or want the details of 
>> environmental companies to deal with please contact Malcolm Johnson 
>> on 92911528 or Geoff Lewis on 0499801117 or 0410331645.
>>
>>
>> Regards
>> John Clarke
> CEO STAWA
>
>
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