Staff at risk from PEH asbestos demand checks
Tuesday 22nd June 2010, 2:30PM BST.
STAFF at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital might have been exposed to asbestos.
This revelation comes a day after Health and Social Services minister Hunter Adam said that, while they were aware there was asbestos in the building, it was safe. While no areas have been closed off, access to some service ducts and roof voids has been restricted.
Yesterday Unite’s regional officer Ron Le Cras confirmed HSSD staff had been in contact with the union after they claimed their request for health checks had been denied at the time.
He said HSSD had told staff the duct was cleared of asbestos but were unable to say who did it and when.
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Ah unions. Elbows at the ready then.
This is from the BBC;
“The occupational health consultant will review the situation and determine the approach for each individual who may have been affected. ”
An asbestos specialist has been brought to deal with the material.
Sounds to me like they’re dealing with it.
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This is pure ignorance on the part of the reporting and the unions. You will probably find asbestos in most buildings built last century before the 1990′s. It is generally not a threat if it remains undamaged. Unless it is a certain type of asbestos there is no need to remove it and in most cases it is best to leave it alone!
All it needs to be is managed, identified and clearly marked.
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Having had a daughter in law who died of exposure to asbestos at the tender age of 34, I sympathize with those workers. Mesotheleoma is a scary way to die.
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Again, let’s see if teh full story actually comes to the surface. This isn’t a case of teh unions being heavy handed (or elbowed!) or of complacency from HSSD. This has actually been under discussion for some time!! And yes it is being dealt with.
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Maybe the Press should pay a visit to the Amherst nurses home – there IS asbestos there, HSSD know about it, and they continue to let their staff live there. Shame on HSSD, and shame on Lesley Ward.
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Jonny is right, whilst I don’t know the facts in this case, I know that asbestos is very common. When I bought my house the surveyor pointed out that there’s a very high chance that there is asbestos in the downstairs ceilings and he said that I can either pay and have it tested now, or just leave well alone and be aware that if any work is to be done, it should be tested and properly dealt with as required first. As long as it is undisturbed it is not a problem.
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As someone who works in the Asbestos industry as a surveyor, I would like to confirm that asbestos can be found in any properties constructed before 1999, and in most cases is nothing to worry about, the law requires that asbestos in non domestic properties be managed correctly to ensure the safety of those who work or enter. The Guernsey HSE has recently fallen in line with the UK and produced a code of practice which details the requirements on those who manage properties so expect to see a lot more in the news about asbestos. Here is a link to the code of practice avaliable free on the HSE website http://www.hse.guernsey.gg/PDFs/ACOP_Asbestos_Revised_12052010.pdf
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Nobby
Can you really not spell the, or is it a typo. I am sure it is the latter.
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