#884: Suspected cancer cluster in an Australian govt. building
Note in the below article where Minister Schwarten states that “magnetic field measurements conducted in 1999 had shown that levels in the office were well below recognised guidelines”. Thus the ignorance and deception continues with the authorities continuing to quote irrelevant guidelines as somehow protecting against cancer – even though those exposures (1000mG home/5,000mG occupational) are only for acute “instantaneous exposures” and not for environmental level/chronic exposures. It is an insult to the affected workers at Mineral House to use this deception then state that “the health and safety of our employees is paramount”.
Don
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From Sylvie
http://news.smh.com.au/six-cancer-cases-in-govt-building/20080508-2c50.html
Six cancer cases in govt building
May 8, 2008 – 10:05AM
Six staff at a Queensland government building in
Brisbane’s CBD have been diagnosed with cancer in the
past four years, raising fears of another cancer
cluster.
Public Works Minister Robert Schwarten said Queensland
Health had been asked to undertake urgent tests at
Mineral House on George Street after a concerned
employee of the Queensland Government Security Office
on Wednesday reported six staff had fallen ill with
cancer.
“The health and safety of our employees is paramount
and for that reason the department has asked
Queensland Health to undertake an urgent
investigation,” Mr Schwarten said in a statement.
The environmental and epidemiological tests would be
completed as soon as possible and staff informed of
the results.
“Staff and their union have been advised of the
actions being taken by the department and the staff
are continuing to work in the area,” Mr Schwarten
said.
“However, should any evidence come to light to
indicate the area is unsafe, the department will
immediately take action.”
Magnetic field measurements conducted in 1999 had
shown that levels in the office were well below
recognised guidelines, he said.
But the situation at Mineral House differed from the
ABC’s now abandoned Toowong studios in Brisbane, where
a breast cancer cluster was identified, and at the
Atherton fire station in north Queensland, where there
were three cases of brain cancer and two of other
forms of cancer.
“For example, I am informed that a variety of
different cancers have been diagnosed in staff working
at Mineral House, and those diagnosed come from varied
demographics,” Mr Schwarten said.
But regardless of the differences, the matter of
workplace health and safety was being taken very
seriously and the investigation would explore every
avenue, he said.
© 2008 AAP
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