Cominco knew in 1998 thallium a problem at site that poisoned workers

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Cominco knew in 1998 thallium a problem at site that poisoned workers

CAMILLE BAINS

Canadian Press

Friday, August 31, 2001

VANCOUVER (CP) - Teck Cominco knew in 1998 that toxic thallium could be a

danger on the job site where some workers were poisoned earlier this month,

documents released by the union Friday show.

Other documents showed the company urged employees back to the Trail, B.C.,

job site only two days after it was shut down, even though lab tests showed

extremely high levels of thallium in some workers' urine.

Tom Sigurdson, of the B.C. and Yukon Territory Building and Construction

Trades Council, released a work sheet for the site in 1998. The sheet lists

thallium and how to handle it as a toxic material.

" Readily absorbed through skin, wash thoroughly after handling; highly

toxic, " states the Material Safety Data Sheet dated June 25, 1998.

The document also says the metal " may be fatal if inhaled, swallowed or

absorbed through the skin " and that it targets organs such as the liver,

kidneys and the male reproductive system.

But thallium wasn't listed on the latest data sheet prepared for the repair

job undertaken by 65 workers, some of whom had been working in the boiler

and furnace since July.

Dozens of contract workers including boilermakers and carpenters complained

of flu-like symptoms including sore throats, nausea and diarrhea before the

job site was shut down last week.

The workers didn't know they were being exposed to the dangerous heavy metal

once used as rat poison.

" Obviously Cominco was aware, " said Sigurdson.

Spokesmen for Teck Cominco have acknowledged it was a mistake not to include

thallium on the paperwork disclosing hazardous substances on the job site.

Cominco shut the job site down Aug. 23 after tests showed workers had

extremely high levels of thallium in their urine.

But Sigurdson also released a second document, dated Aug. 25, that showed

the company wanted workers to return to the site as soon as possible.

" The reason for the return to work is Cominco believes they have identified

and addressed all health and safety concerns, " the statement signed by an

occupational health and safety superintendent says.

Fish, a spokesman for Cominco, said Friday he's not familiar with

any of the documents released by the union.

He said he doesn't know why the company would have wanted workers to return

to work on Aug. 25.

" It doesn't fit the time line because I know the job was shut down on

Thursday (Aug.) 23 so . . . I'm puzzled too, " Fish said.

He said the company has launched an internal investigation and will address

the documents released Friday.

Preliminary tests conducted last week on the site showed one worker had 402

micrograms of thallium in his urine.

However, 15 micrograms per litre is considered dangerous.

" They've said it was a mistake not to make workers aware but what they

haven't said is that they tried to get workers back to work knowing full

well that thallium was present, that it is a hazard, " Sigurdson said.

He added that samples taken from a boiler room last week showed thallium

comprised 27 and 30 per cent of the material tested.

Workers did not wear protective clothing because they didn't know about the

thallium, Sigurdson said.

He said further test results on hair and blood are being conducted at a Los

Angeles laboratory but results won't be available until next week.

" Almost every worker that was up there working on the site is on an

emotional roller coaster, " Sigurdson said.

" They're concerned about their health, the longterm effects, they're

concerned about the health of their families because they may have exposed

their families by wearing their work clothes home. "

Sigurdson also said he's concerned that a Workers' Compensation Board

officer who had twice inspected the site after workers complained failed to

shut it down.

The WCB has said it will conduct its own internal investigation into the

matter, but Sigurdson said that's not good enough.

Sigurdson wrote to Attorney General Geoff Plant earlier this week, asking

for a public inquiry.

" If an inquiry doesn't happen, the parties involved would be very much

interested in relagating this to the dust bin, " he said.

Thallium is a colourless, odourless and tasteless heavy metal that occurs

naturally in soil and ores such as lead.

Most of the contract workers were from the Vancouver area, but some were

also from the United States.

A document obtained by Vancouver Television shows Teck Cominco again raised

concerns about thallium in June.

The report also states that a meeting must be held with Cominco or the

contractor, General Electric.

But workers say that didn't happen.

© Copyright 2001 The Canadian Press