The University of Queensland has temporarily closed building 22 at the St. Lucia campus following a briefing over electrical concerns and asbestos dust, impacting the Schonell and Geoffrey Rush Theatres, the Pizza Cafe, and Chatime.
Critical health and safety remediation works and inspections will be completed by Environmental and Laboratory solutions, whose tests revealed seventeen positive results of asbestos dust on surfaces in one of the theatres, but confirmed there is no health risk to those who have visited the theatre recently.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry says the results indicate current measures to contain asbestos in the theatre’s roof are no longer completely effective.
While the impacted businesses are planned to reopen in a few weeks, further testing will indicate whether the theatre can re-open.