Construction company John Holland is not responsible for asbestos discovered in roof panels at the yet-to-be opened Perth Children's Hospital, an interim report has found.

The report, conducted by state building commissioner Peter Gow, found problems in the production process of the panels in China.

"There was a problem or a hiccup in the production process in China and inappropriate or non-conforming materials were in fact included in the panels," he said.

The deadly material was found in the hospital's roofing panels - supplied by Chinese company Yuanda - in July.

Just days earlier, Yuanda was found to have used asbestos-tainted gaskets sourced from China in Brisbane's new government tower.

Mr Gow said both John Holland and Yuanda had specified materials being supplied for the hospital should be asbestos free and had received a test report from China on the roof panels confirming that was the case.

However, an audit revealed the test report had not actually tested the panels for the presence of asbestos.

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection has released a statement saying "specifiers, builders and suppliers must be vigilant about the products they use during construction and must satisfy themselves that the products they use do not contain asbestos".

The department said it was the responsibility of importers and exporters to ensure they did not import or export prohibited goods such as asbestos.

Dust control not adequate

The report also found John Holland did not properly address the likelihood of a dust hazard when workers cut into the panels - causing some to be exposed to asbestos dust.

Mr Gow said had dust control management procedures been better, the risk to workers would have been reduced.

He said the company also needed to improve its processes for detecting and preventing the presence of asbestos.

The asbestos was found in roof panels at the hospital. ( ABC News: Briana Shepherd )

The Australian agency responsible for stopping asbestos at the border has since revealed it is only testing a fraction of shipments each year for the substance.

Mr Gow said it was impossible to be sure that imported materials did not contain asbestos.

"There is a continuing risk to the Western Australian and the Australian construction industries from non-conforming building products," he said.

Mr Gow said the industry needed to find better ways of detecting hazardous products and preventing exposure to workers.

The commissioner would not comment on when the hospital, plagued by delays - including the recent discovery of lead in the water - will open.

He said an investigation into the lead was ongoing.

"At this point we don't have a clear idea of exactly where the lead has come from," he said.

In a statement, Yuanda Australia said it was "continuing its own thorough review to determine how incorrect products were used in the manufacturing process".

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