Tag: PPE

Minster Kehoe ‘satisfied’ with Air Corps audits

The Junior Defence Minister said he is “fully satisfied” the State Claims Agency (SCA) can adequately carry out health audits in the Air Corps despite a separate workplace safety watchdog finding a series of failings at Casement Aerodrome after a decade of annual inspections by the SCA.

Mr Kehoe gave his backing to the SCA after he told the Dáil that the agency “conducted a number of Health and Safety Management System Defence Forces audits within the Air Corps between the years 2006-2015”.

The whistle-blower complaints also prompted an independent review. In his report, the reviewer said “a problem has arisen in relation to the issues raised by the three informants because appropriate records to demonstrate compliance are not readily available”.

The SCA’s audits were not made available to the reviewer, nor was an internal Air Corps report, seen by this newspaper, which raised concerns about staff exposure to the cancer-causing chemical trichloroethylene.

The SCA is currently defending 21 court cases against the Air Corps, including a number from ex-personnel who say their exposure to chemicals at Casement Aerodrome led to serious illnesses.

Mr Kehoe revealed the decade of SCA audits in response to a parliamentary question from Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy, who was critical of the decision not to release reports.

“Time and time again the minister states that the health and welfare of the Defence Forces personnel is a high priority for him and the military authorities. This may be the case, but the health and welfare of all future recruits and contractors should be too,” Ms Murphy told the Irish Examiner.

“Health and Safety reports should not be shrouded in secrecy. It is an area of expertise of the Health and Safety Authority, perhaps they should really be leading on this, I question whether the State Claims Agency in the past provided an adequate service and applied robust enough tests to the working environment at Baldonnel.”

Read full article on Irish Examiner website below…

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In the interests of transparency, Minister Kehoe should release all the State Claims Agency Health & Safety Management System Audits of Baldonnel with immediate effect.

If the audits were carried out to an adequate standard what has Minister Kehoe got to hide?

Delay – Deny – Die

Dáil Éireann Written Answers 14/11/17 – Department of Finance – State Claims Agency

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

QUESTION NO: 129

To ask the Minister for Finance the reason the State Claims Agency did not seek assistance from the Health and Safety Authority immediately when it discovered in 2013 and 2014 that serious and ongoing breaches of health and safety legislation, including lack of risk assessments, lack of chemical training and lack of personal protection equipment, were causing ongoing harm to personnel of all Air Corps ranks and none; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48048/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)

The NTMA have advised me that the State Claims Agency did not undertake audits in the Defence Forces in 2013 and 2014.

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Mr. O’Snodaigh did not ask about audits in the Defence Forces in this instance.

He asked why the “State Claims Agency did not seek assistance from the Health and Safety Authority immediately when it discovered in 2013 & 2014 that serious and ongoing breaches of health and safety legislation, including lack of risk assessments, lack of chemical training and lack of personal protection equipment, were causing ongoing harm to personnel of all Air Corps ranks and none.”

We wonder is the Minister of Finance also being mislead by the State Claims Agency’s culpability & negligence in this scandal.

DELAY – DENY – DIE

Dáil Éireann Written Answers 14/11/17 – Defence Forces – Air Corps Equipment

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

QUESTION NO: 531

To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason he indicated (details supplied) further to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 1383 of 7 November 2017, when the question related to the current gloves being used by Air Corps personnel for protection against toxic chemical exposure was found to have been inadequate and if there was an oversight on procurement of health and safety personal protective equipment; and if he now will answer the question posed. [48165/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)

The Deputy will appreciate that it would be wholly inappropriate for me to comment in respect of any matters relating to ongoing litigation and I deemed the wording of his previous question to be such as to potentially encroach into the remit of the Courts in relation to the litigation referred to in my reply.

However, I wish to assure the Deputy that I have been advised by the Military Authorities that Air Corps personnel are provided with protective gloves as part of their Personal Protective Equipment which conform to European standards.

I have also been advised that the Air Corps Formation Safety Office selects and approves all gloves for use by all personnel in the Air Corps.

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Minister Kehoe must be reminded of the F1-11 Deseal / Reseal scandal in the Royal Australian Air Force whereby thousands of personnel were injured by chemical exposure. 

In this scandal the RAAF personnel did have PPE but it was discovered, well after the fact, to be inadequate and in some instances PPE gave only 4 seconds of protection. We strongly urge that Minister Kehoe is not complacent on this issue and that he ensures that the foundations of further injury to Air Corps personnel are not being currently laid.

Minister Kehoe MUST ensure independent oversight of PPE selection or at the very least competent verification that the PPE chosen is adequate for the task . 

DELAY – DENY – DIE

Dáil Éireann Written Answers 7/11/17 – Defence Forces – Air Corps Equipment

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

QUESTION NO: 1383

To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on the recent discovery at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel that gloves provided to personnel to protect them from toxic chemical exposure had been found to offer inadequate protection; if harm has been caused to personnel as a result of this inadequate protection; and if there was independent oversight into the process of choosing and purchasing health and safety personal protective equipment. [46383/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)

The Deputy will be aware that the State Claims Agency is currently managing six claims taken between 2013 and 2016 by former and current members of the Air Corps against the Minister for Defence for personal injuries alleging exposure to chemical and toxic substances whilst working in the Air Corps in Baldonnel in the period 1991 to 2006. Given my responsibilities and the fact that the Minister for Defence is the Defendant in these claims, you will appreciate it would be inappropriate for me to make any comment in relation to these cases whilst such litigation is ongoing.

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It appears that Minister Kehoe & the Department of Defence have taken to hiding behind the fact that legal cases are ongoing regarding LEGACY Health & Safety failings in the Irish Army Air Corps, in order to avoid answering questions regarding CURRENT Health & Safety failings in the Irish Army Air Corps.

The CURRENT problem of gloves used by spray painters quickly disintegrating in contact with solvents has NOTHING to do with ANY ongoing court cases.

DELAY – DENY – DIE

Dáil Éireann Written Answers 17/05/17 – Department of Defence – Protected Disclosures

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he has received and read a recent protected disclosure on serious breaches of health and safety procedures at Casement Aerodrome, including claims that personnel have died prematurely as a result of handling hazardous chemicals without adequate protection from retired Air Corps personnel who worked on the base; and his plans to deal with these latest revelations. [23196/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)

There are a number of elements to the correspondence to which the Deputy refers. I am arranging for the elements of the correspondence which relate to previous protected disclosures concerning health and safety issues in the Air Corps to be sent to the independent third party I appointed last year to review those allegations. Legal advice has recently been received in respect of the correspondence referred to by the Deputy and is being considered.

Once a final review is to hand, I will determine any further steps required and ensure that all recommendations will be acted upon to ensure the safety of the men and women of the Air Corps.

Dáil Éireann Written Answers 04/04/17 – Department of Defence – Airfield Harvesting

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

698. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if the Air Corps at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel receives moneys from the annual harvesting of silage on the airbase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16654/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)

I have been advised by the Military Authorities that the Air Corps operate a ‘safe grass’ policy in order to reduce the hazards posed on the airfield in Baldonnel by bird populations. This policy is an integral part of the wider bird control management program, which is line with best international practices and seeks to reduce the risk of bird strikes during critical phases of flight.

The airfield at Baldonnel is cultivated with FESCUE grass which was specifically sown and grown to prevent birds landing and nesting in the grass and thereby being a hazard to the aircraft. A contractor is hired to top the grass at a height of 9 inches throughout the growing season. The clippings are returned. The frequent topping of the grass and the return of clippings are required to produce an appropriate level of soil fertility to support adequate grass growth. The crop type does not have the nutrient needs for grazed cattle silage and the clippings are required to maintain nutrient levels in the soil.

Accordingly, the Air Corps receive no funding from the annual harvesting of silage on the airbase. As there is no harvesting of silage, the issue of income from harvesting does not arise.

Minister Paul Kehoe T.D. again misrepresents the truth. Is Minister Kehoe misleading in his answers to parliamentary questions or are the Irish Army Air Corps misleading the Minister? Someone is giving misleading answers that is for sure.

Photos below taken in the past week and posted on an Air Corps related Facebook page.

This last photo taken 13th May 2017

Dáil Éireann Written Answers 04/04/17 – Department of Defence – Air Corps Equipment

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

688. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the detail of the 2017 opening stock figure, current stock figure, cumulative new stock figure to date in 2017 and cumulative issued stock figure in 2017 for chemical hazard PPE respirators for technical personnel at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel; and if he will exclude military grade respirators used for military training purposes. [16143/17]

689. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the detail of the 2016 opening stock figure, closing stock figure, cumulative new stock figure and cumulative issued stock figure for disposable coveralls at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel. [16144/17]

691. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the testing and selection criteria for disposable overalls in use by the Air Corps to insure they offer personnel adequate protection from the toxic chemicals in use. [16146/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 688, 689 and 691 together.

Unfortunately, it has not been possible to compile the information requested in the time available. My officials are working with the military authorities to obtain the information which will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Again Minister Paul Kehoe T.D. demonstrates that he is incapable of supplying simple answers to basic questions about the Irish Army Air Corps.  The answers to questions 688 & 689 are available at the touch of a button from the AMMS computer system.

It appears that either the Minister for Defence, the Department of Defence or the Defence Forces may have something to hide.

Dáil Éireann Written Answers 29/03/17 – Irish Army Air Corps – Workplace Chemical Exposure Review

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will establish a review to determine if the chronic illnesses suffered by former Air Corps staff were as a result of exposure to chemicals while working at Casement Aerodrome. [15412/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)

As I indicated in my responses to other recent Parliamentary Questions on this issue, a number of former and serving Air Corps personnel are suing the Minister for Defence alleging personal injuries arising from exposure to workplace chemicals. It is not appropriate for me to comment on this matter at this time as these cases are the subject of ongoing civil litigation before the High Court.

The Deputy will be aware that there are a number of processes already in train in relation to reviewing health and safety procedures in the Air Corps. Following a number of inspections at the Air Corps premises at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, in 2016, the Health and Safety Authority issued a report of inspection with a number of general improvements and recommendations for follow up. The Air Corps committed to addressing these recommendations as part of an eight phase implementation plan. I am advised that seven out of the eight phases are planned to be completed by May 2017.

In September 2016 I appointed an independent third party to review allegations made in a number of protected disclosures relating to health and safety issues in the Air Corps which were received in late 2015 and early 2016. Once a final review is to hand, I will determine any further steps required and ensure that all recommendations, whether arising from the work of the Health and Safety Authority or the ongoing protected disclosure review, will be acted upon to ensure the safety of the men and women of the Air Corps.

In the circumstances and pending the completion of the ongoing processes, I have no plans at this time to commission another review on this matter.

Dáil Éireann Written Answers 21/03/17 – Irish Army Air Corps – Contaminated Clothing

Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if technical personnel in the Army and Air Corps are permitted to bring home issue overalls and other uniform clothing that have been potentially contaminated with toxic chemicals; and if he and or the Defence Forces have considered the possible contamination risk that poses whereby these items of work clothing may come into contact with items in the home. [13272/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)

I am informed by the Military Authorities that disposable coveralls are provided to personnel if an activity involves risk of contamination from toxic chemicals. I am advised that these coveralls are disposed of, immediately after use, using a chemical waste contract.

I am also informed that the Defence Forces policy on personal protective equipment (PPE) states that “personnel shall be provided with the necessary training and information on the use of the PPE.” The policy makes it clear that personnel must use the personal protective equipment correctly and whenever it is required, they must participate in any training or instruction provided on the fitting, use and inspection of personal protective equipment and they must look after it and store it in a safe location.