Call for asbestos probe of all older Naval ships

The organisation representing naval ratings has demanded a thorough examination of all the Naval Service’s older ships to ensure they are asbestos-free.

PDFORRA (Permanent Defence Forces Other Ranks Representative Association) also expressed concern about the manner in which asbestos was discovered on the LE Orla as she was undergoing routine maintenance at Verolme dockyard this week.

Following the discovery, her sister ship, LE Ciara, which was also brought into service in 1985, was also locked down. The ship was also undergoing routine maintenance, but in the naval service’s own dockyard at Haulbowline.

PDFORRA general secretary Gerry Rooney said he would have thought ships of that age were likely to have contained some asbestos. “A risk assessment should have been carried out first before the work began.”

A worker carrying out maintenance on the LE Orla’s engine room raised the alarm after spotting what he believed was asbestos.

External consultants were alerted and samples taken proved positive.

Mr Rooney said he was concerned that no risk assessment was carried out prior to the maintenance crews starting work, especially as many of them would have been wearing only minimum protective clothing, while others possibly had no protective clothing at all.

“Our primary concern is with the individuals who were on the ships when this maintenance was carried out. The individuals need to be told of the (potential) dangers they face and need to get the necessary medical checks,” Mr Rooney said.

It is believed at least eight workers may have been at risk and Mr Rooney said PDFORRA was liaising with Naval Service chiefs on the issue.

The Naval Service is unlikely to have been concerned about the presence of asbestos as, 14 years ago, private consultants swept its ships and gave an all-clear. Officers are carrying out an investigation into that report presented in 2000.

In the meantime, a spokesman for the Naval Service said it was following Health & Safety Authority (HSA) procedures and was awaiting assessments to be completed by the asbestos control experts.

It is not clear when the assessments will be completed but a spokesman said it could be early next week.

Lung disease link

White asbestos, also known as chrysotile, is by far the most common form of asbestos.

It is a soft, fibrous silicate mineral which accounts for around 95% of asbestos used in Europe and the US.

White asbestos is considered to be far less dangerous than its blue and brown-named cousins.

However, it is considered by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to becarcinogenic and has been associated with lung disease.