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The Block again under fire over asbestos dust

Asbestos Diseases Foundation is unhappy with Nine's promo with contestants covered in clouds of dust.

2014-12-08_0121The Block‘s Scott Cam may be an ambassador for Asbestos Awareness Week, but the show is again being criticised by Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia.

It claims the latest ads for The Block: Triple Threat send out a dangerous message.

“I was left absolutely speechless, with contestants shown falling through a ceiling, bringing clouds of dust and debris onto unsuspecting home owners, as power tools are shown tearing through the units,” the foundation’s president Barry Robson says.

“This is what happens when TV producers and advertisers, with no understanding of the very real dangers of asbestos, put the promotion of their product above the safety of their viewers.”

But a Nine spokesperson said there are asbestos warnings on the show’s website and a thorough hazardous materials audit is conducted ahead of work beginning.

“We have included scenes previously in the show which explain that this audit is done for every season of The Block and we have also broadcast warnings to home renovators to conduct their own asbestos checks prior to commencing works on their homes,” he said.

TV renovation shows, including The Block, have been criticised for inadequate warnings about working with hazardous materials, including in 2013and 2011.

Source: Sourceable

6 Responses

  1. Seriously? Who says it’s asbestos, and not just normal gyprock dust? Remember the CASA investigation into Scott Cam flying the drone?

    These groups never fail to get themselves into the press at every opportunity despite the fact it’s a silly promo for a reality show, not a PSA for victims of asbestos.

    God people take life too seriously sometimes. I’m not downplaying serious illness, I’m talking about mindless entertainment…

  2. pertinax-falling through the roof and screwing around with power tools are dangerous all by themselves let alone the very real hazards of asbestos-there are few worse deaths than slowly drowning as your lungs fail over months and years-I have never watched this show and would rather bang 6″ nails through my skull than do so, but other, more impressionable folk do, which is a worry….

  3. There was no asbestos so what Nine showed was not dangerous.

    The ADFA are just using attacking The Block, again, to get publicity and spread their message.

  4. Thoughtless! Maybe those that created the ad in such poor taste should check out some recent media reports about asbestos and how dangerous and evil it is. A few supposed warnings doesn’t cancel out a an inappropriate ad. This is very wrong.

  5. Yea went on the block website – I could not find anything about asbestos on there (albeit I was on the mobile site and you can never find anything on those, and could not find an option to the full site). But if I couldn’t find it easily – that probably means others can’t either and that’s a poor effort in my opinion. My Nan died of an asbestos related death and I think it is of upmost importance to inform people (especially younger people) that haven’t grown up knowing or donk know of the real dangers of asbestos.

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