Asbestos fears halt work on Te Kaha stadium fire doors

Thursday, 4 September 2025

The One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha has been caught up in a nationwide investigation into potential asbestos contamination in doors.

Christchurch's Te Kaha stadium is testing 104 fire doors for potential asbestos contamination.

Supplier Pacific Door Systems announced earlier this week that the hazardous material had been discovered in some of its products, prompting a nationwide investigation by WorkSafe and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

Christchurch City Council project director Kent Summerfield said the stadium’s contractor BESIX Watpac immediately stopped work on the doors and started testing them and the site.

Inside construction of the venues lounge at Te Kaha stadium last month.

Testing of the site came back negative for asbestos, but door testing continues and is “expected to wrap up in the next couple of days”.

“Our top priority throughout the project is worker health and safety,” Summerfield said.

“Based on conversations with our supplier, we are confident the issue can be resolved without impacts on the project completion or budget.”

The stadium has 104 fire doors of varying types and each one is being tested.

Asbestos is a mineral that was, in prior decades, used in building products such as cement cladding, insulation boards, pipes, and flooring, for its durability. The material is resistant to heat, chemicals, and does not conduct electricity.

But asbestos is made up of tiny fibres that, when disturbed, can be released into the air, and cause disease when inhaled. A single exposure can cause serious health problems in later life, according to WorkSafe.

Pacific Doors Systems (PDS) on Monday issued a notice to customers that said it had become aware of asbestos fibres within the core of a fire-rated door through testing of a product imported into Australia.

The “FRB board” or “FRB core” within the door that was contaminated with asbestos was manufactured by a third party, which PDS did not name, and it was now using a different supplier for the core of such doors.

No other work on the doors is being carried out at Te Kaha but construction on other aspects of the $683 million facility, due to open in April, continue.

Summerfield said the project team continues to work closely with the door supplier and WorkSafe throughout the national investigation.