WorkSafe updates asbestos guidance

WorkSafe New Zealand has released a refreshed suite of guidance aimed at improving how businesses and workers manage and work with asbestos, in a move designed to reduce confusion and strengthen safety standards across the sector.

The updated resources have been developed in close collaboration with industry experts and are tailored to specific roles, including asbestos surveyors, removalists, assessors, tradespeople, and general businesses.

WorkSafe says the new structure is intended to make it easier for workers to quickly access the information most relevant to their work, rather than navigating a single broad document.

WorkSafe chief executive Sharon Thompson said asbestos continues to pose a serious public health risk in New Zealand.

“Asbestos remains the number one cause of work-related death in New Zealand, with approximately 220 people dying from asbestos-related disease each year. It’s critical that everyone working with or around asbestos has access to clear, current guidance on how to do so safely,” Thompson said.

She said the updated suite reflects modern industry practice and is designed to be more practical and accessible.

It includes good practice guidelines, interpretive guidance, information sheets, videos, and a mapping document showing how content from the existing 2016 Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) aligns with the new material.

While the 2016 ACOP for the Management and Removal of Asbestos remains in force, WorkSafe expects several of the new good practice guidelines, covering asbestos surveys, removal, and assessments, to eventually be incorporated into updated ACOPs as wider health and safety reforms progress.

“Publishing the updated guidance now means the industry doesn’t have to wait for legislative changes to access better information. It balances the need for timely, practical resources with the process for updating the ACOPs,” says Thompson.

Key updates include changes to surface testing requirements for asbestos clearance inspections, the exclusion of swabs during asbestos surveys, revised exposure monitoring requirements, and clearer definitions around asbestos-containing dust and minor contamination.

WorkSafe consulted publicly on the future of asbestos guidance in late 2025, with feedback showing strong support for clearer, more detailed and accessible information across the industry.