Inspectors provide assistance after Tropical Cyclone Seroja

Officers from the Department mounted a combined effort to provide assistance in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Seroja in April.

Inspectors from WorkSafe and Building and Energy travelled to Kalbarri after the cyclone struck to play a part in making the town safe, particularly in relation to asbestos, electrical and gas hazards.

A large number of government agencies were involved in the clean-up of the town, including the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES), Australian Defence Force, WA Police, State Emergency Services, Western Power and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

According to WorkSafe Inspector Valerie Hall, one of the most common concerns among Kalbarri residents was the risk posed by the asbestos that littered much of the town after the storm roared through.

“Aside from the damage to properties, authorities and residents were most concerned about the pieces of asbestos littering the ground and roads of the town,” Inspector Hall said.

“The pieces of asbestos were mostly from older roofs and fences and even entire asbestos structures that had been destroyed by the wind and rain of the cyclone.

“Our first job was to assess whether the debris was actually asbestos, and then to assess the extent of the damage and decide if DFES was required for the clean-up or whether the damage could be handled by the local government authority.

“The first priority was to clear the streets so Western Power could work on restoring power to the area, starting with the school, health centre and childcare facility.

“We coordinated meetings with the contractors and made sure they had the correct personal protective equipment, that they were leaving locations clean, that they secured the loads on their vehicles and so on.”

WorkSafe Inspector, Valerie Hall gave a presentation to other agencies on how to identify asbestos and address any concerns they had

WorkSafe inspectors also undertook presentations to other agencies on how to identify asbestos and address any concerns they had.

“We were also helping to prioritise the work of the licensed asbestos removalists during the response phase and making sure they were removing the asbestos safely,” Inspector Hall said.

“To illustrate the speed of the wind in Kalbarri during Cyclone Seroja, we found pieces of asbestos embedded in brick walls, and a sizeable chunk embedded in a wooden electricity pole.

“The asbestos was safely removed by licenced asbestos removalists as soon as it was possible for them to travel to the town.”

WorkSafe retained a presence during the recovery phase with an inspector from Geraldton attending the town weekly.

A team of electrical and gas inspectors from Building and Energy also travelled to Kalbarri to support Western Power and help ensure public safety regarding electrical and gas issues. Building and Energy Chief Electrical Inspector Supply Gary Scott said the team travelled to Kalbarri in response to the cyclone as soon as it was safe to do so after it ripped through the town.

“The electrical and gas inspectors were there to assist Western Power with the considerable task of ensuring that electrical and gas installations in the town were in a safe condition,” Mr Scott said.

“Team managers participated in the daily Incident Response Management Group meetings, then set to work helping to identify issues so they could be rectified and Western Power could restore power to priority areas and residences,” Mr Scott said.

“We then followed up with further inspections in early July at Kalbarri, Northampton and surrounding areas.”

A sizeable chunk of asbestos embedded in a wooden electricity pole

Technical building officers from Building and Energy also joined experts from James Cook University’s Cyclone Testing Station to inspect cyclone-damaged buildings in Northampton and Kalgoorlie.