“Last month,
as part of heritage work investigations in Te Marae Ātea Māori Court and the Pacific Galleries, static asbestos dust was discovered.
“These galleries have been closed as a precautionary measure to prepare the spaces for asbestos cleaning and removal. Subsequent swab testing has identified positive results for asbestos in the Grand Foyer, which has now also been closed.”
Given the Grand Foyer was a primary evacuation route, its closure meant the museum must establish alternative evacuation procedures.
“As a result, the entire museum will be closed this weekend while fire evacuation plans are reviewed in consultation with a fire engineer.”
The museum was working under the guidance of a licensed asbestos assessor and, since the asbestos was discovered, it had been undertaking daily risk assessments.
“Buildings of the museum’s age commonly contain historic building materials that include asbestos. As the building nears 100 years of age, there are several necessary heritage works under way to enable us to preserve it for future generations. It is through the preliminary investigations into these works that the asbestos was discovered.”
Museum facilities would continue to be monitored by essential security and facilities management staff during the closure.
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring, toxic, carcinogenic and fibrous silicate minerals.
While no longer widely used, asbestos can still be found in older buildings and products, and exposure to asbestos fibres can pose significant health risks.
Inhaling asbestos fibres can lead to several serious lung diseases, including asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
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