Members without a doubt would have seen the widespread media reports over the past week regarding Telstra’s poor management of the removal of Asbestos pits across the Network in readiness for the NBN roll-out.
Penrith community residents were subject to poor work practices upon the removal of pits around Evan St & Hornseywood Ave Penrith leaving residents concerned they had been exposed to Asbestos. This has also occurred within other communities across the country.
Many Telstra contractors have been caught out engaging in unsafe work practices due to NO PROPER training in the safe handling, removal & disposal of Asbestos culminating in the problems reported in communities across the country.
The CEPU have, for many years, warned Telstra & the wider industry of the consequences that may result in not complying with the regulatory framework relating to Asbestos handling.
This includes the reduction of Telstra Field Contractor Inspectors therefore leaving NO CHECKS on training & work quality across the Telstra contractor workforce.
Last week your NSW Postal & Telecommunications (P&T) Branch led by Assistant Secretary Shane Murphy went public to highlight the inefficiencies occurring within Telstra when work is being undertaken by contractors on Telstra Asbestos pits. In particular workers & contractors not receiving the appropriate training in the safe handling, removal & disposal of Asbestos.
Desktop OHS does not provide workers with Health & Safety protections when performing work of a kind in the field.
This problem is not new for Telstra members who regularly perform work in Asbestos pits, but in a safe manner and for over many years.
Your CEPU NSW P&T Branch has called on Telstra to agree to the following requirements:
- Establish an Asbestos register for workers, their families and members of the community who have either worked on or been exposed to Asbestos through association with works on Telstra Asbestos pits,
- Establish a fund, similar to the James Hardie compensation fund to set money aside for future Asbestos related diseases claims for Telstra workers, their families and members of the community,
- Immediately cease all works on Telstra Asbestos Pit Remediation projects until all employees and contractors receive an instructor led course in the safe handling, removal & disposal of Asbestos,
- Employees and contractors certified prior to recommencing works
- The reintroduction of internal Telstra inspectors.
So far, Telstra has agreed to meet the following CEPU requirements:
- The introduction of 200 new Internal field contractor inspector positions at the CFW 7 level
- Taking back full control of all Asbestos safety training in-house – this is to include the training of not only staff but also contractors
- Ensuring funds are available to meet current and future liabilities associated with workers and their families who may contract an Asbestos related disease
- The CEPU to be involved in all future training of all workers on the safe handling, removal & disposal of Asbestos.
Due to the pressure from your Union & the wider community, Telstra have now ceased all pit and pipe work in all asbestos pits until further notice.
Intervention by the Federal Government has occurred as a result of the NSW Branch action with Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten holding an urgent summit with all industry stakeholders in Canberra on Monday of this week.
The Summit involved Federal Government Ministers Shorten and Conroy, NBN Executives, Telstra CEO David Thodey & COO Brendan Riley, representatives of the Asbestos diseases foundation, Comcare, All Telstra & NBN co Contractor representatives, the ACTU, CEPU P&T Branch Secretary Jim Metcher & Assistant Secretary Shane Murphy along with CEPU National Secretary Peter Tighe & Assistant Secretary Allen Hicks.
The summit meeting outcomes, being;
- The establishment of a national Asbestos register for all workers, their families and members of the community who have worked on or been exposed to Asbestos as a result of works being carried out in Telstra Asbestos Pits. The commencement of this important register will begin shortly and further information will be provided to members once the Federal Government has finalised the register
- Telstra being required to provide a program to eventually remove all Asbestos Pits from the Telstra Network across the country,
- A taskforce established to oversee all aspects of training, safety & compliance on the Telstra & NBN works. All stakeholders will be participants on the task force including NSW P&T Branch Assistant Secretary Shane Murphy.
The Taskforce has already commenced its role and the following are agreed outcomes with Telstra;
- Telstra, contractors, regulators and Unions to agree on industry wide application of Telstra Asbestos training standards
- Telstra will recommence remediation work only when Telstra and contractor training and work procedures are in place
- Telstra to develop in consultation with Comcare, material to communicate with residents on remediation work
- Telstra to report to the Taskforce next week with a plan for prioritised removal of pits where;
– Pits are damaged and may pose a public safety risk
– Pits that require modification or remediation for work associated with the NBN roll out
– Business driven requirements to remove or modify pits (eg. to increase capacity or for changes to local infrastructure)
In addition to a further Taskforce meeting next week, further meetings are planned in the coming days between Telstra, contractors & the CEPU on the finer details of safety & training and further information will be provided to members once available.
Whilst the National Register is being set up by the Federal Government, your NSW P&T branch will also have an Asbestos register for our CEPU members past and present to register their exposures for the purpose of creating a record for any potential future claims of compensation by members.
The NSW Branch is currently finalising this register and members will receive further information once operational.
Members can follow the CEPU media coverage at the bottom of this e-bulletin.
If you have any further enquiries regarding these serious health and safety matters then please do not hesitate to contact your Branch Assistant Secretary Shane Murphy or Branch Official Peter O’Connell on (02) 9893 7822.
————————————————————————————————–
Some of the related media coverage
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-30/regulators-investigate-asbestos-safety-breaches-in-nbn/4722142
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2013/s3771742.htm
http://www.2gb.com/article/shane-murphy
http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/17385522/telstra-must-set-up-asbestos-fund-union/
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-03/union-concerned-by-telstra-pit-asbestos-exposure/4728484
Comments are closed.
