Sealord Neglects Responsibility for Staff Exposed to Asbestos In New Zealand

A hefty bill has been sent to a major fishing company after it exposed its staff to asbestos. Sealord, one of the largest fishing companies in the Southern Hemisphere, was ordered to pay two victims $3000 each in reparation, fined $257,250, and ordered to pay $28,987 in costs to Maritime NZ, in the Nelson District Court on Tuesday.


asbestos



Maritime NZ had investigated after asbestos was found on board the Will Watch, a Cook Islands-flagged ship owned by Sealord’s overseas subsidiary United Fame Investments. Aotearoa-based employees were seconded to work on the ship in Mauritius.

Maritime NZ’s general manager investigations Pete Dwen said the workers were still subject to the terms and conditions of their employment agreement with Sealord, which made Sealord responsible for the safety of its workers.

Senior staff members of Sealord had monitored the vessel’s health and safety operations and gave input on operating procedures, which should have identified the issues with the asbestos.

However, when Maritime NZ raised the asbestos issues with Sealord, it initially stated it “did not believe it posed a risk”.

Sealord’s chief executive Doug Paulin said the company thought absestos had been removed from the ship in 1986, which was why no risk assessment for the ship had been carried out.

The Will Watch was docked in Nelson in December 2021 where the company did an investigation and resolved the issues onboard.

An occupational medicine specialist said the exposure levels were low, and air sampling before and after remediation took place was negative.

“It was an honest mistake,” Paulin said.

“We’re pleased the evidence shows there is low risk to the harm of anyone’s health and remediation of the vessel has now taken place.”Dwen commended Sealord for pleading guilty before a trial took place. 


Sealord Neglects Responsibility for Staff Exposed to Asbestos In
New Zealand


“Sealord failed in its responsibility to keep its workers safe,” Dwen said. “There should have been better consultation between Sealord and United Fame Investments ... about the risks the asbestos posed to the workers.

“Sealord should also have done more to identify the risks or hazards the exposure to asbestos fibres on-board presented to its workers.”

Operators had a duty to eliminate or minimise exposure to airborne asbestos in the workplace, according to Maritime NZ guidelines.

“Understanding the risks on-board a vessel is important for operators. Everyone deserves to be safe at work, and be protected against risks such as asbestos,” Dwen said.

“Employers need to know the safety of staff is their responsibility, even if the workers are sent elsewhere and are not directly under their supervision.”

Sealord was fined $24,000 in 2020 and ordered to forfeit a US$16 million ship after it illegally deep-sea trawled in a protected zone off the east coast of Aotearoa.

It employed more than 1000 people in Aotearoa and 240 overseas, and its vessels engaged in deep-sea and finfish aquaculture fishing.


Inconsiderate Disposal of Asbestos Poses A Risk to Disabled Workers In Australia






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pleurocentesis (Thoracentesis) Procedure, Risks & Complications

Image
Pleurocentesis :  Before we let you know about Pleurocentesis risks, procedures and complication, you first need to know what exactly is Pleurocentesis. Pleurocentesis is also called Thoracentesis which is a surgical procedure used to remove excess fluid from the pleural spaces of the lungs. By undergoing this procedure, doctors are able to treat or diagnose various types of pleural effusions. As Pleurocentesis is minimal invasive, doctors sometimes use it as palliative treatment for certain type of pleural mesothelioma patients.   What Is a Pleurocentesis (Thoracentesis)? As we mentioned above, Pleurocentesis is basically a surgical procedure which can be minimal invasive and used to remove excess fluid from pleural cavity of lungs using a hollow needle. It all happens due to prolonged asbestosexposure that results in diseases like mesothelioma.  And when it happens, excess fluid in the lungs starts building up. In such a scenario, it can lead to various discomforts like
Read more

Top Reasons Why Military Personnel Become Easy Target of Mesothelioma

Image
Mesothelioma is basically a type of lung cancer that occurs mainly due to the asbestos exposure over a period of several years or decades. It develops quite slowly and steadily. The reason why it is a severe type of cancer is because of the fact that it takes the linings and tissues of the coverings of internal organs called mesothelium. And so, it mainly attacks on the linings of lungs and the rest of the abdomen. Due to the severity of mesothelioma, almost 3,000 people are diagnosed with this form of lung cancer every year. There are treatments available that can only alleviate the symptoms to some extent. But there is no complete cure available to recover a patient. In most cases, the victims of mesothelioma are known to have a life expectancy between 19-31 months. With the onset of new and advanced treatment, the survival rate can be increased. Even then, the survival rate in such patients has been found to be quite low due to the severity of the disease. Patients with mesothe
Read more

Face Swelling Can Be A Sign for Lung Cancer?

Image
Face Swelling A Sign of Lung Cancer : Do you know that lung cancer happens to be the second most common type of cancer globally? Well, the worst thing is that it affects men and women both. It means no one is safe from this dreaded disorder. It's also the leading cause of most causalities happening across the globe. As per records, more than 2 lakh people are diagnosed with lung cancer and the number id constantly increasing. In some countries, lung cancer rate is increasing at a faster rate as compared to other countries. As per experts, early detection of lung cancer can help in the survival rate. And so, people need to be cautious regarding changes in their bodies. At the same time, it is crucial to know the causes and symptoms of lung cancer so that you can stay protected from the disease. In a recent study by scientists, face swelling is being connected with the occurrence of lung cancer. In other words, most experts believe that if you notice a swelling on your face, it m
Read more