Lindsey Oil Refinery workers sent home due to asbestos concernsNorth Lincolnshire, England - Workers have been sent home from an oil refinery in North Lincolnshire, England following a fatal explosion Tuesday. The explosion killed Robert Greenacre, a contractor who was working close to a crude oil distillation unit when the explosion occurred.
Lindsey Oil Refinery workers were sent home by the CMB union due to asbestos concerns. GMB’s lead organizer for engineering construction, Phil Whitehurst, noted, “Independent specialists from Yorkshire have found traces of asbestos at the scene of the explosion...Workers on the HDS-3 plant have been sent home on full pay until Monday while specialists deal with the asbestos problem."
When an explosion or fire occurs in an asbestos-ridden facility, the toxic material is disturbed. And when disturbed, the asbestos poses a serious health risk to those exposed. Mesothelioma is one of the largest risks--an asbestos related cancer which attacks the mesothelium.
Doctors struggle to diagnose patients with mesothelioma, of which lies dormant for several decades. Once diagnosed, patients undergo clinical therapies—including mesothelioma chemotherapy and radiation.
More than 50 firefighters were called in to fight Tuesday’s fire. Employees have noted that the fire started in an industrial heater--close to where they walked to work. Two employees were treated for injuries, following the explosion.
