Workers contracted as part of the redevelopment effort for a RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) base in Edinburgh have voiced concerns about the safety of the work environment, specifically the presence of dangerous asbestos fibers and other toxins in the workplace. Union officials are planning to hold a meeting to address the worker’s concerns.
Australia introduced a complete ban on asbestos in 1991, the same year that the asbestos ban in the United States was overturned in the case of Corrosion Proof Fittings versus the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Australia’s ban, much like tightening regulations and in other developed countries around that time, followed decades of growing concern and increased public outcry about the dangers of asbestos fibers in the workplace and at home.
Exposure to asbestos fibers has been conclusively linked to several serious diseases including mesothelioma, an aggressive and incurable cancer that kills some three thousand people in the United States alone every year. When individuals are exposed to an asbestos contaminated environment, the microscopic, needle shaped fibers enter the body through inhalation or ingestion. After passing through the lung or intestinal walls, the tiny fibers become entangled in the mesothelium, a protective lining which surrounds our vital organs, where they cause the development of scar tissue. After years or even decades of lying dormant, this scar tissue can develop into malignant tumors which then spread to other organ systems.
Because of the disease’s long latency, that is, the time it takes from initial exposure to asbestos until the development of malignant tumors, mesothelioma diagnoses continue to rise worldwide. The disease’s prognosis is incredibly dismal, often granting patients less than two years to live from the time of diagnosis.
Unfortunately, while developed nations continue to tighten restrictions concerning the use of the dangerous mineral, many developing countries are filling the vacuum created in the demand for asbestos products. Countries such as India, Mexico and China continue to use asbestos products with little or no safety precautions, ensuring a redoubled struggle with mesothelioma in future generations.
Jason Wilder, the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union organiser for the workers in Edinburgh, was concerned about the efficacy of the safe handling and disposal procedures used by the various contractors. “The workforce is not confident in those procedures,” he said,”there seems to be quite a significant amount of asbestos in that area built up over the years.”
The redevelopment of the base will include the construction of new laboratories, a new air traffic control tower, and a new hospital.
