Asbestos roof adjacent to Mizzi House to be removed

The asbestos roof adjacent to Mizzi House, which houses the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority, will be removed, minister Helena Dalli said today.

Addressing a press conference, Dalli said the landlords have agreed to remove the roof at their own expense after an experts' report confirmed the roof could be hazardous for the workers' health.

Works will be carried put in August, when most of the 100 workers will be out on leave. The minister said arrangements for teleworking will also be made.

"The workers' health is always a priority and we couldn't leave the situation as it is, knowing that the asbestos roof was not safe," the minister said.

She said that the latest report compiled by air quality specialists was yet another confirmation of the risk the roof posed to the workers.

"I had raised the issue several times while in Opposition, but the previous government had always denied the asbestos containing material was detrimental to the workers' health. But the situation is so serious that some windows in these offices are sealed," Dalli said.

MCCAA chairman Marcel Pizzuto said it had been the workers themselves, some of whom scientists, who sealed the windows for protection. He said the commissioned report had confirmed the corrosion state of the roof could be hazardous for the workers.

The works have also been approved by the Occupational Health and Safety Authority.

The minister said an operations review was also being conducted to study how the operations of MCCAA could be improved.