cian ie Re October 7, 1988 News 925-2131 Classified 986-6222 Workers exec o asbestos da REPAIRS to a damaged Russian fishing vessel were halted last Friday at Versatile Pacific Shipyards Inc. after work crews were exposed to asbestos found in portions of the ship. Marine Workers and Boiler- makers Industria! Union secre- lary-treasurer Bill Scott said Tues- day an estimated 60 of the 23! shipyard employees working on the 104-metre Irtyshsk had been ex- posed to contamination from air- borne white (chrysotile) asbestos since work began on the vessel Sept. 6. Asbestos breathed into the lungs can cause asbestosis, a chronic lung disease; tung cancer; and mesothelioma, a very rare but ex- tremely malignant cancer that af- fects the chest and abdominal lin- ing. Scott said union officials were especially concerned that Versatile had no provisions in its health and safety procedures to document VERSATILE Alsop. president David worker exposure to asbestos despite the well-documented health hazards of the substance. He added that because iJInesses resulting from inhaling asbestos usually take decades to surface, it would be extremely difficult for a victim to establish a claim with the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) so long after the initial ex- posure. He said the WCB should establish a systein of asbestos ex- posure reporting. But Versatile president David Aisop said a complete cleanup of the 104-metre Irtyshsk is under- way, and no repair work will be done on the vessel until the asbestos-laden material has been removed. By TIMOTHY RENSHAW News Reparter He said it was ‘'a complete sur- prise to us to find asbestos. We haven't repaired many Russian vessels, There was no reason to suspect asbestos material.”’ Alsop said Versatile had follow. ed all the prescribed WCB pro- cedures (o remove material cons taining asbestos. “Bur it’s not a situation we have encountered before,’ Alsop said. “We recognize that asbestas is a health hazard and we treat it with respect,”’ WCB spokesman Judy Kirk said Wednesday an initial vessel inspec- tion was done Sept. 28 when the existence of asbestos in materials being handled by Versatile crews was suspected. Test samples of a cement-like substance taken from a bonded storage room on the Irtyshsk in- dicated the material contained 10 to 30 per cent white asbestos. Versatile workers had removed epproximately 100 pounds of the substance as part of repair work to the ship’s bow, Chipping used in that remova! had released asbestos into the air, Work on the vessel stopped at 2 p.m. Sept. 30 following release of WCB test results. A full clean-up of the airborne asbestos was recommended before restarting repairs, A private con’ ‘actor was hired to remove the asbestos over the weekend, but when crews showed up Monday, union representatives were not satisfied that all asbestos had been removed. Two WCB occupational hygiene officers were called in and a fur- ther inspection of the vessel was conducted. A black mastic substance used to bond insulation to the ship’s hull was subsequently tested and was also found to contain 10 to 30 per cent white asbestos. Workers had been in contact with toxic fumes from the substance when burning through hull steel. The WCB consequently issued an order Tuesday to Versatile to institute safe working procedures for handling the asbestos, to in- struct workers Lo use proper pro- tective equipment and find a way to contain the material. Alsop said all WCB procedures 25¢ had been followed and estimated the complete cleanup of the ship would be finished within a week. EXACTRESS Ruth Nichol spotlight. Kirk said workers who have been exposed to asbestos can file a notice with the WCB through their 4 ULRICH BLEIKER blows on-his 12-foot Swiss alph 4 Swiss-born North Shore. architect plays the instrument j made in Switzerland -for atleast 600 years. © :. , «in the doctors. The file, she said, would then be kept with the WCB indefinitely.