Navy ships locked down on asbestos fear

Two naval service ships are in lockdown after workers were exposed to asbestos during routine maintenance at dockyards in Cork.

Meanwhile, an investigation is being carried out by navy chiefs into how outside consultants declared the ships to be asbestos-free when they carried out a survey on them 14 years ago.

It emerged that the alarm was raised early last week when routine maintenance was carried out on the LÉ Orla in Verolme dockyard, Cobh.

A worker spotted what he suspected was asbestos while inspecting part of the ship’s engine room.

In accordance with Health and Safety Authority regulations, expert external consultants were immediately called in to take samples, which later tested positive. The navy then locked down the LÉ Orla’s sister ship,the LÉ Ciara, which was also brought into service in 1985.

She was undergoing routine maintenance at the same time, but at the navy’s own dockyard at its headquarters at Haulbowline.

Tight security has been imposed on both vessels to ensure nobody else is exposed before experts remove the material safely.

“The samples confirmed it was white asbestos, which is less dangerous than blue or brown asbestos,” a navy spokesman said.

Nevertheless, experts are trying to ascertain how many people may have been exposed to potentially dangerous dust particles.

They believe that at least eight workers may have been exposed and they will be medically assessed.

It is expected the asbestos control experts will have completed their assessments by early next week at the latest, by which time clean-up operations will begin.

The spokesman said both ships will be out of commission until this process is completed and, in the interim, others ships will, if necessary, take up the slack to ensure there is no reduction in sea patrols.

Despite their age, neither of the two coastal patrol class vessels are in line to be replaced in the immediate future.

Two older ships, the LÉ Emer and LÉ Aoife, are due to be replaced by new €50m stealth-type warships.

The LÉ Samuel Beckett will be delivered in a couple of weeks to replace the LÉ Emer.