De-seal/re-seal class action claim.

[corsair67]

From today's The Australian.


600 F-111 workers to sue
Annabelle McDonald
December 12, 2006.

UP to 600 workers allegedly poisoned when they cleaned F-111 fuel tanks will sue the Howard Government, claiming compensation for conditions ranging from cancer to respiratory problems.

Former RAAF worker Allan Henry yesterday headed a class action filed against the commonwealth in Brisbane's Supreme Court, 33 years after he first started working on the F-111 fuel tanks at the Amberley air force base in Queensland.

The 49-year-old, formerly a keen sportsman who now needs a walking stick, spent 16 years working on the fighter bomber, where he was allegedly exposed to toxic chemicals working on the Deseal/Reseal Support Group.

As a result, his wife Kathleen says, Mr Henry suffers from a number of auto-immune diseases.

"He can't work, can't socialise, can't go to the beach, which he loved to do. He doesn't have a normal life. His existence is medication and rest," Ms Henry said outside court yesterday. "We have not been able to receive compensation from the Government or the department and they have effectively wiped their hands of us, so this is our only action."

The class action - which has been two years in the planning - is expected to cover claims from up to 600 former RAAF workers.

[Dave Homewood]

Twits, if you have a job where you use dangerous chemicals and stick your head inside fuel tanks, you should be well aware it ain't too good for your health. Isn't it obvious?

What are the grounds for sueing? Were they not allowed to wear respirators and other protection? Or did they just not bother, and now feel the Govt owes them for their carelessness?

[corsair67]

Apparently they weren't supplied with the proper equipment to do the job safely, and one of the chemicals used in the process has been found to be highly carcinogenic.

Since 2001 there has been a huge amount of time spent investigating the whole problem, including a Board of Inquiry into the matter, but it seems that it hasn't been fully resolved yet.

[Dave Homewood]

Well if the employer neglected their duty by not supplying correct safety equipment fine, they have a case. But I know I never work with any potentially dangerous chemical without a) reading the label, b) asking about it, c) researching further if need be, and d) wearing precautionary safety equipment anyway if still in doubt. This sort of work they did must have sparked some curiosity about safety concerns within at least one of the participants long ago, surely?

[corsair67]

There is more detailed information about the inquiry here -

www.defence.gov.au/raaf/organisation/info_on/units/f111/

[lesterpk]

Dave, I have read the full report, its quite lengthy but we have it at work.
This goes back a long way and they are quite right to be looking for compensation, they have been treated pretty badly.
Les.

[Calum]

admin said:

Twits, if you have a job where you use dangerous chemicals and stick your head inside fuel tanks, you should be well aware it ain't too good for your health. Isn't it obvious?

What are the grounds for sueing? Were they not allowed to wear respirators and other protection? Or did they just not bother, and now feel the Govt owes them for their carelessness?

A lot of this occurred in the days when OH & S wasn't around. I remember the days of baths of MEK for cleaning components with no real PPE, MSDS etc around, and that was less than 20 yrs ago.

[Craig Sargent]

I can realte to Calum. There was a time we just didn't know any better. I worked on Strikemaster thermocouples with bare hands and no mask way back when because no one was aware of the dangers of asbestos back then. I'm on a National asbestos health register, but if health issues developed I can see where I would have grounds to legal action (not sure if I would or not though).

[phil82]

If you are part of a class action, then good luck! I got about $8,500-00 last year for some work I did as a teenager, and it cost me nothing. It was all handled by an Aussie law firm, Ryan Carlisle Thomas in Melbourne, who advertised in NZ for people within a specific employment environment over a set period of years. I gave them the details, and they were excellent. It cost me nothing, and they eventually paid me the dosh. They kept me informed, even called me on my mobile once when I was at Cape Reinga!