Asbestos found on Sydney Harbour Bridge during road works

However, NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay has lashed out following the revelation the asbestos was uncovered in February yet it has only now come to light.

The government is offering all staff on the 85-year-old structure health checks but has insisted commuters on one of Australia’s busiest road and rail routes did not need to be concerned.

Around 200 trains, 160,000 vehicles and 1650 bicycles cross the bridge every day.

On Friday, Mr Gay said he was advised just yesterday that a “small sample” of asbestos was found under the concrete road surface near the bridge’s northern toll plaza.

The toll plaza is housed on a viaduct that once carried trams from Sydney’s north shore to Wynyard station in the CBD.

The asbestos was found during road works in February.

Mr Gay has questioned why the information took 10 months to reach his desk.

“While it is not uncommon for asbestos to be found during infrastructure work, I would expect better procedures and guidelines to be in place for the escalation of findings,” he said.

“I have asked the agency to carry out a full investigation into this incident. This will include monitoring where excess material from the site was taken and how it was remediated.”

Asbestos can cause both asbestosis, an incurable disease that leads to scarring of the lungs and difficulty breathing, and asbestos cancer which is mostly found in the lungs.

The micro fibres from asbestos can easily breathed in with the risk increasing with prolonged exposure.

Asbestos used to be a common building material, used as a fire retardant and for insulation, and those working with the material are at particular risk. Leaving asbestos undisturbed, for instance within walls, is often preferred as it is only a risk when the fibres are airborne.

“Roads and Maritime Services did not anticipate contractors finding asbestos under the road where this work was being carried out,” said Mr Gay.

The asbestos was located under concrete road slabs and is thought to have been put there in the 1950s.

The government said a hygienist had determined the material had low potential for any airborne exposure.

“The agency was advised the likely exposure, if any, did not pose a risk to workers or road users using the bridge while work was being carried out,” said Mr Gay.

“Regardless, precautionary measures have been put in place. Every worker who was on-site is being contacted about the findings and offered health monitoring.”

On Thursday, Environment Protection Authority Victoria said they had confirmed that asbestos fragments were still on site at the recently demolished Corkman pub in Melbourne.

The historic pub was controversially knocked down by the owners last month despite being heritage listed.

Originally published as Sydney Harbour Bridge health scare