Telstra employees in the Pirie St office are demanding straight answers from local management following a major sewerage spill earlier this week.
Union contacts Comcare
CPSU staff and health and safety representatives (HSR) have inspected the site and formally contacted Comcare. As a result of union representation to management, a number of staff located close to the spill were permitted to go home for the rest of the day - an outcome that underlines the important role union HSRs play.
Exposure to sewage can risk your health
Raw sewage contains biological agents such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that can cause serious illness and even death. These contaminants can become airborne or be transferred on clothing, skin or surfaces. Some of the illnesses that can result from exposure to sewage are tetanus, leptospirosis, hepititus A, giardia, cryptosporidium and gram-negative bacterial infections. This incident represents not only a threat to your health and safety but to your families as well. You can find more information here http://www.workershealth.com.au/facts042.html
Questions for local Telstra management
The CPSU has raised a number of serious issues with local management about the way this incident was handled and their apparent failure to keep staff informed. These include:
What are the identified hazards that workers potentially have been exposed to?
What are the possible diseases or illnesses that could potentially result?
What symptoms should staff be looking out for?
What action do they need to take if they get sick?
What treatments are required to eliminate these hazards from the workplace?
What review mechanisms need to be in place to ensure the elimination of these hazards?
Who is conducting a risk assessment on the various floors, as required by OHS Laws?
Why hasn’t Telstra informed Comcare about this serious risk to workers health and safety?
What happens next?
The CPSU will continue to provide information and support for members affected by this incident. We will also keep the pressure on management to ensure Telstra informs you exactly of what you have been exposed to and what the risks are. If you would like to arrange an on-site, or off-site meeting, please contact CPSU Organiser Lachlan Thorn.
