West Coast District Health Board
Te Poari Hauora a Rohe o Tai Poutini
Corporate Office
Telephone 03 768 0499
High Street, Greymouth
Fax 03 768 2791
2 March 2020
Mark Montgomery
Email: [email address]
Dear Mark
RE Official Information Act request WCDHB 9395
I refer to your email dated 31 January 2020 requesting the following information under the Official
Information Act from West Coast DHB specifically:
copies of all Asbestos Management Plans prepared under Regulation 13(2) of the Health and
Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 for all workplaces occupied or from time to time
occupied by the District Health Board where asbestos or ACM (Asbestos Containing Material) is
suspected to be or has been identified at the workplace.
West Coast DHB had an asbestos audit undertaken in respect of Grey Base Hospital, Greymouth in late
2000. This audit was updated, and a report obtained in June 2003.
A subsequent asbestos investigation that included an airborne fibre analysis from an IANZ Accredited
Laboratory was obtained in March 2019 in respect of the tunnel system, Grey Base Hospital and
Integrated Family Health Redevelopment Project. This included an asbestos demolition survey in
respect of the buildings to be removed as party of the redevelopment project.
Asbestos investigations have also more recently been undertaken in relation to the Buller Hospital site
in Westport. This is in anticipation of the demolition of the existing Buller Hospital and construction of
the new Buller Health facility due to commence on that site shortly.
West Coast DHB is working towards incorporating all information currently held from the Grey Base
Hospital, Buller Hospital and other DHB site investigations (comprising existing asbestos registers,
survey results, survey data sheets, site plans and laboratory reports) into Asbestos Management Plans
in the form required by regulation 13 of the
Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations.
In conjunction with Canterbury DHB, the West Coast DHB is recruiting for a Trans-Alpine Asbestos
Manager to assist with incorporating existing information held into Asbestos Management Plans. That
manager will be assisted by a panel of accredited Asbestos Assessors that have been engaged by the
Canterbury and West Coast DHBs to undertake further proactive survey work to inform those plans.
In the meantime, and until proven otherwise by survey, the West Coast DHB operates on the basis of a
presumption of asbestos and/or asbestos containing materials within its legacy buildings.
West Coast DHB staff and contractors working within our buildings are required to comply at all times
with West Coast DHB policies and procedures relating to asbestos.
As evidenced by the 2019 investigations at Greymouth and Westport, prior to commencement of any
demolition or building works, an asbestos survey is obtained to identify asbestos.
West Coast DHB does not have Asbestos Management Plans in the form requested that we can release
to you at this time. We are, however, willing to consider providing you with the 2019 Asbestos
Investigations for Greymouth and Westport if you would like, subject to any permitted redactions
under the Act. Please note that we will need to consult with the third-party consultants and
laboratories that have provided reports prior to release of any information that relates to them.
I trust that this satisfies your interest in this matter.
Please note that this response, or an edited version of this response, may be published on the West
Coast DHB website after your receipt of this response.
Yours sincerely
Carolyn Gullery
Executive Director
Planning, Funding & Decision Support
