A NUMBER OF naval personnel thought to have been exposed to asbestos after carrying out maintenance work on the LÉ Ciara are now seeking legal advice.
The Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) has said that some of its members were involved in the incident, and were “completely unaware” of the risk of exposure.
General Secretary Gerry Rooney said the seamen are seeking legal advice after what he called a “serious failure of health and safety”.
“No risk assessment was done.”
Those working on the ship were unaware they were cutting into asbestos materials.
“They’re unsure of what they’re facing in terms of health care,” he told TheJournal.ie, after having been exposed to the material for several days.
Rooney said that work to remove asbestos from other naval vessels should be carried out “under the supervision of the Health and Safety Authority”.
A number of civilian dockland workers could also have been exposed in the dust in the incident.
Inhalation of asbestos dust can lead to an increased risk of several forms of cancer.
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