The Ministry of Public Works is looking for a company to remove asbestos from the Warwick Camp dining hall.

A ministry spokesman said the roof’s corrugated asbestos sheets had been earmarked for replacement for years, but the job increased in priority after the roof sprang several leaks.

The asbestos is to be removed, or abated, and retrofitted with a new covering.

A new design is being developed with a local engineer.

“All work will be scheduled to keep to a minimum the disruption to the operations at Warwick Camp with full consideration to safety and health of all occupants,” the spokesman added.

An invitation to tender, appearing on page 30 of yesterday’s edition of The Royal Gazette , seeks submissions from companies who specialise in asbestos abatement.

While the notice stated that further details and tender documents would be available on the Bermuda Government website, the information had not appeared as of yesterday afternoon.

The deadline for completed tenders is 3pm on February 24, and interested parties can contact Dennis Reid at ddreid@gov.bm.

Asbestos was widely used internationally as building insulation due to its resistance to fire and ability to absorb sound, often mixed with cement or woven into fabric or mats.

However, studies have linked prolonged exposure to asbestos fibre to mesothelioma and lung cancer, leading it to be banned as a building material in several countries.

The material usually becomes a threat only when airborne owing to deterioration or damage and is inhaled.

To prevent inhalation, anyone handling asbestos should wear protective gear, including masks, and the materials should be kept wet to prevent the fibres from becoming airborne.

A 2003 report on asbestos in Bermuda noted that the material had been used in several “military type” buildings, including the Bermuda Police Service headquarters and Warwick Camp buildings.