Whangārei District Court counter closed after ceiling tiles fall, foul odour present

Staff were overheard complaining of feeling sick from a "foul" smell from falling tiles in Whangārei District Court yesterday morning.

The front counter at the Whangārei District Court closed after wet ceiling tiles fell, accompanied by a “foul” smelling odour.

The Northern Advocate understands wet tiles fell to the ground in the foyer of the courthouse yesterday.

About an hour later, more tiles fell in a clump on the floor just above where the public stand at the counter.

As a result it was closed; however, it reopened later in the afternoon.

The Ministry of Justice reportedly contacted staff via an email, calling the issue a “bio hazard”.

Staff were reportedly overheard complaining of feeling sick from the odour.

Ministry of Justice acting general manager for property Ruth Currie said about 8.30am on Tuesday, the ministry’s maintenance provider was notified of a leak above the customer service counter.

It appeared at that stage the leak was linked to a bathroom waste pipe blockage, likely caused by a blocked toilet.

“In managing this incident, a decision was made to close the customer counter until the investigation was completed, and a full deep clean has been undertaken,” Currie said.

The formal process for incidents such as those was to notify the contracted maintenance provider so the issue could be assessed and rectified.

“Evacuations are very rare and happen on a case-by-case basis, pending site investigations.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, Currie said it didn’t appear that sewage had been identified.

Other facilities remained open for staff and the public, including the courts.

A WorkSafe spokesperson said they had not received a notification regarding the matter.

“In general, businesses are responsible for identifying and managing any risks to health, including potential exposure to hazardous substances.”

This could include engaging an occupational hygienist to assess the situation, they said.

Once risks were identified, businesses should take appropriate steps to manage them.

“Wherever possible, risks should be eliminated. If elimination is not feasible, controls such as isolating the affected area could be implemented to protect workers and others.

“WorkSafe must be notified of any occupational disease or illness.”

Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.