Asbestos alert – residents in fear over the removal of deadly material

Residents are up in arms over the removal of asbestos panels on the former Connacht Laundry site.

One of the potentially hazardous panels from the derelict building’s roof fell into a neighbour’s garden on St Mary’s Road before a worker with full breathing apparatus and covered from head to toe climbed down to remove it.

When queried about why he was on private property without permission, the worker from a specialist asbestos firm asked if “they would like this stuff in the garden”.

The yard of Scoil Iognáid where 600 children play at break time as well as at least a dozen homes back onto the site where a luxury new hotel is tipped to be built.

Locals are concerned that if a single dust particle from the asbestos drifts out from the site, the health risks could be catastrophic for whoever breathes it in.

They point to the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations 2006 which state that a written notification must be sent to the Authority at least 14 days prior to the commencement of the any activities involving “the removal, repair or encapsulation of lagging, insulation or other materials containing asbestos”.

According to the Health and Safety Association (HSA), the risk associated with exposure to asbestos relates to the possibility that the fibres within the asbestos can become released into the air and then inhaled. Breathing in air containing asbestos fibres can lead to asbestos-related diseases, mainly cancers of the chest and lungs.

The HSA asbestos guidelines also state that contractors should “keep neighbours informed about the work” and “carry out background air sampling at the perimeter of the site”.

Diarmuid Keaney, whose family house on St Mary’s Road adjoins the site, says he has seen no sampling taking place and none of the neighbours have been alerted.

“This is a recognised carcinogen and needs a competent person to do a risk assessment and remove it. My children play in this garden all the time,” he insisted.

“These guys dressed in protective gear are breaking up the sheets and one fell into our garden. We haven’t been informed and I understand the HSA have not been informed – who is monitoring this?”

Spokesperson for the St Mary’s Road Association Barbara Kenny was highly critical over the lack of action from authorities since she started alerting them last Friday.

“I’ve been onto Galway City Council, the HSE and the HSA and they keep passing the buck. I was told to contact the land registry. We need written assurance there will be no risk to public health.

“When you’re looking at someone in breathing apparatus and kids are playing nearby, how are you meant to feel?”

The HSA told the Galway City Tribune there was no automatic requirement for contractors to inform the body “of low-risk asbestos removal activity such as removal of asbestos roof sheeting”.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.