More asbestos found on college site

A building site in Melbourne's west has been shut down after further asbestos was found, fuelling fears that the health of workers and local students is at risk.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union says two shopping bag-sized containers of asbestos were removed from the site yesterday and the union is recommending that several metres of topsoil be removed and replaced.

An industrial hygienist will today inspect the Sunshine North site, which is at the centre of a dispute between the CFMEU and building company JA Dodd.

The CFMEU says the Sunshine site of the Australian Technical College could be shut for up to two weeks, but the company says the disruption is likely to last only a few days.

It has been alleged that a union organiser endangered the safety of managers at the site in early February by dumping asbestos on a table in front of two managers.

WorkSafe and the Australian Building and Construction Commission say they are investigating matters at the site.

JA Dodd managing director Hedley Davis confirmed asbestos had been found at the site. "We identified it in a number of spots where the soil was disturbed," he said.

He said WorkSafe, the school and the CFMEU were working together on the problem.