Residents in Sydney's inner west fear they may have inhaled the asbestos found at a WestConnex construction site after workers started demolition for the M4-M5 link.
Haberfield resident Sharon Laura was walking her dog on Saturday when she noticed workers pulling down sections of an old car yard.
Ms Laura hadn't been forewarned of the works so she called the Westconnex community information line, which she had been told operated 24/7 - but nobody was available to answer her questions.
"After I got no response we asked the contractors who were there on site to check, they made a phone call to their supervisor, we asked about asbestos, we were told everything was OK, everything was approved and the work would be proceeding," Ms Laura told AAP.
But on Monday she received an email from WestConnex saying asbestos had been found on the site and work had ceased pending further investigation.
The workers Ms Laura observed were not wearing protective gear.
"Where were the proper safety measures for the workers, for the residents, and for the passing public who were walking up and down Parramatta Road and waiting at the bus stop in front of the site?" Ms Laura said.
A WestConnex spokesperson confirmed a small amount of asbestos-containing material had been discovered.
"Upon finding out about the unexpected asbestos encounter, the project team doorknocked nearby property owners and contacted the Haberfield Public School to make them aware," a spokesperson told AAP in a statement.
The incident comes just weeks after concerns were raised over safety procedures inside WestConnex motorway tunnels at Haberfield and Homebush. Workers were forced to evacuate the sites, citing a broken water pipe and power generator issues.
Stage three of the controversial road project will connect the M4 at Haberfield to the M5 at St Peters. There are also links to the Iron Cove Bridge and the Rozelle interchange.
SafeWork NSW said it was making preliminary enquiries "after reports of asbestos dust exposure were made in relation to a construction site in Haberfield".
Australian Associated Press
