Another Sonae worker was injured yesterday on the 28th Oct 2003. The incident
was briefly reported on Radio Merseyside and it is not known whether the story was
run on the main news. The worker was trapped 50 foot in the air after being caught
in a conveyor belt. . The worker who was carrying out maintenance repair work is
believed to have got hooked up on the belt by his legs and dragged upwards
before becoming stuck at a height of 50ft. The accident happened at 10.45am
at the Sonae chipboard factory in Kirkby. This is the latest in a series
of accidents at the factory. Another worker at the factory was previously
injured after using his leg to unblock a conveyor belt. Sonae workers have a choice when risking their health but
unfortunately most of us don't have that luxury.
Target Zero for Accidents?
Sonae were fined early this year for their negligent working practices
which almost killed Ian Fairclough, one of the workers at the Toxic Plant.
Mr Fairclough was knocked unconscious and his injuries included three
fractured ribs, a broken collar bone and a punctured lung. Sonae, however,
still have a sign outside the Toxic Dump which says Target Zero For Accidents.
Really? Did they miss the latest accident whereby a man was hanging 50 foot in
the air in Kirkby's most dangerous and persistent law breaking factory?
Sonae Manager and 'accident prone factories'
Sonae workers seem to know that the place can be very dangerous to work.
The manager, Tony Hackney, has seen it all before when he worked for Kronospan in Wales.
A 55 yr old worker was killed there in another "accident waiting to happen"
according to the Judge, and the measures taken following a previous accident
were "woefully inadequate". Sounds familiar? Sounds like the Sonae manager is
used to being in a situation where workers are being injured and killed. Maybe
his experience in managing two accident prone factories is just a co-incidence.
Neil Tuner - The Promises that need to be kept but aren't!
Thanks to Neil Turner of Knowsley Councils 'Environmental
Protection section' and his workmates who stated in early Oct that…..
"[we]
agree that there has been a dust problem associated with the Sonae plant.
Officers have witnessed dust levels which I regard as unacceptable."
Predictably, Neil and his fellow officers have failed to act. It's getting
beyond a joke and we cannot even trust our own public official's to act in
our interests. Neil will be emailed later and asked to explain why he further
promised us that "A detailed inspection was being carried out this morning
on the possible source of the dust" Sorry Neil, but you're talking absolute
nonsense, WE all know the source of the dust problem, there a few thousand
tons of it mate right in front of your eyes (
see photos)
(
see video here)
We understand Neil Turner has
to speak in the mumbo jumbo and cautious language of bureaucracy, but please
give us some credit. We're not all thick, despite the appalling rate of people
in Knowsley educated to degree level like yourself. Your very knowledgeable
about the environmental impact of Sonae and I bet my life you'd be singing a
different tune if you lived in the pollution zone which stretches in a circle
for miles. Don't con us Mr Turner, and don't expect any warm receptions
if you continue to proclaim Sonae's innocence and Knowsley Councils
ignorance of what's going on. Do the right thing and help us to
secure a safe and clean environment for our children and the
people of Kirkby.
Note - for your convenience, we have obtained a new WWW address stopsonae.co.uk -
this will make it easier to pass on a contact address for anyone interested in the
Sonae issue. As we soon join up with liverpooltimes internet forums - there will be
a unique opportunity for YOU to discuss the Sonae situation and much much more online.
http://www.stopsonae.co.uk (online soon)
