Chemicals held in port by ban

Press, 9 October 1976, Page 1

Chemicals held in port by ban

A consignment of allegedly dangerous chemicals has been delayed at Lyttelton for five davs because

drivers decline to handle it without compensation.

The shipment consists nf drums containing four substances used for treating timber. At least two of the chemicals contain arsenic. About 364 of the drums were off-loaded from a vessel at the port on Monday, and about 40 of them were moved away before action was taken. The Drivers' Union wants to be paid 15c a drum as danger money, but the transport company concerned has declined to pay. However, the company has offered to provide protective clothing, and supervision of handling by senior staff. The Road Transport Association’s industrial committee will also be asked to consider the issue of dangerous chemicals.

The drums, according to the secretary of the Drivers’ Union (Mr P. R. Liggett), could be moved by Monday afternoon. A meeting will be held on Monday morning between the union and the Road Transport Association, m an effort to formulate a policy on the handling of potentially hazardous materials.

Depending on the ' outcome of this meeting, negotiations could be opened between the company and the union leading to a resumption of work.

Discussions would include the possible provision of antidotes and other safety precautions, as well as the financial aspect, Mr Ligget said.

He emphasised that other port workers who handled such cargo were paid danger money. The drivers were not seeking as much as these employees.

The president of the Christchurch Road 1 ran* port Association (Mr D. G D. McCormick) said that the chemicals tn their present form might not present a serious risk.

For 25 years, similar drums containing potentially hazardous substance* had been carried. They were made of steel, and had secure lids.

“There are probably hundreds of other products being carried at present that could be considered a greater danger.” Mr McCormick said.

Drivers working with the drums had been offered protective clothing, said Mr McCormick. He believed that the first action in such cases should be to eradicate any risk, rather than automatically seek compensation.

A paymetjt of 15c a drum would mean that dm ers would receive an extra $3 an hour, he said.