Unite regional officer Laura Bichard met airport director Richard Thomasson on Thursday afternoon.
She had been requesting talks since the fire station at Alderney Airport was evacuated earlier this month following the discovery of asbestos in dust and debris in one of the vehicle bays inside the building.
Ms Bichard said that she had now been briefed on the actions taken since the effective closure of the fire station and relocation of firefighters to another building on 5 October.
‘The airport director has committed to working collaboratively with Unite and our membership moving forward to ensure there is clear communication regarding the actions being taken to address the asbestos issues, the measures in place to protect those working at the Airport Fire and Rescue Service, and the steps being taken to safeguard their health and wellbeing,’ said Ms Bichard.
‘We will continue to engage with management, seek the necessary assurances and ensure that the concerns of our members are heard and addressed. Members must have clarity, confidence and reassurance that their safety and wellbeing are being treated with the seriousness they deserve.’
Firefighters continued to work in the fire station building after samples of dust and debris were collected on 24 September but were relocated as soon as the test results were received 11 days later. It is understood that asbestos was found in nearly all of more than a dozen samples tested.
Access to the fire station has been closed off pending further specialist investigations, but the airport has continued to operate normally, with Airport Fire and Rescue Service staff relocated to nearby Ayline House.
Guernsey Ports, a division of the States Trading Supervisory Board, which runs the airport, has said this was ‘a precautionary action taken promptly’ and that the wellbeing of staff was its ‘highest priority’.
But prior to the talks on Thursday Unite said that its members had been kept largely in the dark about the risks to their safety and the authorities’ response to the problem.
‘The wellbeing and safety of our members remains our priority,’ said Ms Bichard, following the meeting.
‘It is essential that all necessary precautions are taken and appropriate measures are implemented and that our members are kept fully informed throughout this process.’
Asbestos was widely used in construction until it was banned in 1999. It poses no immediate risk if stable but becomes highly dangerous when damaged or disturbed, and inhalation of fibres can lead to fatal diseases, such as mesothelioma. In 2019, the States agreed to set up a compensation scheme for victims of mesothelioma.
Asbestos was known to be present in the fire station at Alderney Airport but was previously thought to be in a stable condition.
The redevelopment of Alderney Airport has been agreed and stalled numerous times in recent years. A scheme which included constructing a new fire station was dropped when estimated costs spiralled from £24m. to £37m. Earlier this year, the States delegated authority to the Policy & Resources Committee to sign off a scaled-back project not exceeding £24m., but discussions are continuing about how to proceed.
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