Health and Safety is happy with incinerator

THE incinerator at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital has been given a clean bill of health. An independent Health and Safety Executive report stated that the incinerator's operation and the handling of its waste was safe and in line with best practice. Board of Health president Peter Roffey 'was not surprised at all' by the findings. 'I would have been amazed if it had not been the case,' he said. The report made it clear that proper safety equipment was provided to staff. It said that the facilities provided and the health and safety policies in operation ensured minimal risk to staff and the public. It was ordered when several workers expressed fears that they were being poisoned by the incinerator. The workers raised concerns about inhaling toxic waste containing residues of body parts and dangerous plastics. The board was accused of putting staff at risk during the collection, transport and storage of waste generated by the incinerator. Deputy Roffey rejected claims that the speed of the investigation, ordered late on Monday, was surprising. 'It's a fairly small incinerator. I understand they tested it and the residue for its composition and looked at the transportation system and storage.' But the fears of Peter Du Port, regional industrial organiser of the Transport and General Workers' Union, were not allayed. 'I'm making my own independent inquiries about how this toxic ash is handled, stored and disposed of and I have not yet received that information,' said Mr Du Port. 'As soon as I do, I will provide this to the board and it will be interesting to see if my information supports the findings of the independent report. 'I want to find out the facts from an independent UK source from the union's research department, which is looking into it.' Deputy Roffey said: 'If anybody has concerns, and that includes Peter Du Port, they should come forward rather than making wild allegations. 'We would look to understand those concerns.' He speculated that concerned workers who had told their stories to the Guernsey Press were involved in 'a mud-slinging exercise'. Mr Du Port said that the board's quick response to the workers' concerns proved that it had taken health and safety issues seriously and acted responsibly and swiftly in independently assessing staff claims. 'I will provide the information from the union's source as quickly as possible,' he said. The board invited anybody with continuing health and safety doubts to raise them with the board's health and safety manager, Michael Earp. It also pledged to invite Mr Du Port to a meeting so that he could outline his concerns.