NATO cancer paint still poisoning workers, Dutch government lied

This video from the USA is called Hexavalent Chromium & Your Health.

Translated from NOS TV in the Netherlands today:

Still in 2008 Dutch Defence Department workers did not work safely everywhere with the carcinogenic chromium-6 paint. This is apparent from a letter from the Labour Inspectorate from December 2008 acquired by NOS after an appeal to the Open Government Act.

VBM trade union calls this shocking. The union wants a guarantee that by now working is safe everywhere. At recent briefings staff told that this is still not the case.

Until now Minister of Defence Hennis gave the impression that strong measures had been taken since 2001 to protect the health of staff in workshops. Hennis reported to parliament last September that the measures “have been strengthened further since 2001”. Money was supposed not to play a role.

The airbase De Kooy [near Den Helder] had seven months to solve the problem. In the meantime, maintenance was halted in the workshop.

The commander told at the end of April 2009 that he did not succeed in solving the problem on time, because of “lengthy procurement processes.” A year later, in April 2010, the Labour Inspectorate insisted once more: “If I have not received a response from you within two weeks, the next stage in the enforcement policy will be deployed.”

In August 2010, it was finally determined that the offense had been lifted by temporary measures. A final solution was not yet in sight. …

“Employees when spraying are exposed to a high concentration of chromium (VI) compounds, a genotoxic carcinogen”

The Labour Inspectorate on the situation in the workshop of Airbase De Kooy in December 2008

The trade unions for soldiers are upset by these findings. They were confident that the Defense Department had taken adequate measures for the entire armed forces after it became clear in 1998 definitely how dangerous it is to work with chromium-6 paint.

“I want to guarantee that the health of employees in all workplaces of defense is guaranteed,” said union president Jean Debie of VBM. “That everywhere proper ventilation measures have been taken and that people have been provided with the necessary protective equipment. That guarantee is not there yet. ”

Still

All over the country, the Defence Department has briefings for (former) employees. Employees tell them that sometimes still use is made of chromium-6 paint without staff being adequately protected.

Last week there were meetings in Eindhoven, Stroe and Den Helder, about a thousand defense employees.

Someone said this: “We know by now what the instructions are as if we have to work with chromium-containing paint, but the corresponding personal protective equipment is not there.”

Suspect dirt

Another person insisted on measurement, because: “We hung a cloth at a vent and that was then completely full of large amounts of suspicious dirt.”

And an officer said, “We know the dangers of chromium-6 by now, but they are not acted upon.” He wanted to have “deep cleaning” of an outdated building, but was told that his superiors did not want that. …

The use of chromium-6-paint according to the Defense Department is still necessary, for example in aircraft, because otherwise there would too many rust and safety issues.

Cancer paint still in 2012 at Volkel airbase: here.

See also here.

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