Asbestos damage concern grows

Omni-Pac says it will continue to do all it can to support its staff

Asbestos may have harmed some staff at an egg box factory in Norfolk, according to their trade union.

Employees at Omni-Pac have been concerned ever since asbestos was discovered at the plant in South Denes, Great Yarmouth, in October.

Three months after the material was found, their trade union believes it has its first medical evidence that some people who worked at the factory may have been affected by the asbestos.

In November about 80 workers turned out to a union meeting to learn more when the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) warned of the "grave risk" to their health.

Experts from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said they were concerned that staff could have been exposed to asbestos fibres.

The blue asbestos is taking longer to clear than had been expected

Since then most of the 200 workers have been seen by occupational health experts at the North Sea Medical Centre in Gorleston.

Now the TGWU has said it has found one former member of staff died from a disease which may have been related to the asbestos.

Another current employee has evidence of scarring to his lungs.

An Omni-Pac spokesman said the company was continuing to offer all the support it could.

Further tests would be carried out, the spokesman added.

The factory, which is still closed, will not re-open until the end of April at the earliest - two months later than planned.

An assessment of the asbestos removal work still to be done has revealed it will take longer to make the premises safe.