NSW: Construction sites all closed as dust clogs Sydney
Wed Sep 23 13:30:25 EST 2009
Wed Sep 23 03:30:25 UTC 2009
SYDNEY, Sept 23 AAP - Sydney's dust storm has brought construction work across the city to a halt.
The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) has closed all major building sites because workers are experiencing eye irritations and respiratory problems.
CFMEU assistant secretary Brian Parker said one worker had collapsed on a work site in Newtown due to respiratory problems.
Mr Parker said high winds were also making sites unsafe but ultimately the dust was the major concern.
"Obviously today it's not just about wind, it's about the irritation of dust causing respiratory problems, eye irritation, breathing problems not only for old workers but young workers who have asthma," he told reporters.
"We're finding the amount of phone calls that have come through since five o'clock this morning has been astronomical."
One of the sites shut down is the Westfield Centrepoint redevelopment in the heart of the Sydney CBD.
Site delegate John Burns said when he turned up to the Pitt Street site early this morning, under a blood red sky, it was evident that work would not be able to commence.
"This dust was like talcum powder, everything we touched had a layer of dust on it," he said.
"It kept clogging my nose and my ears, and I was coughing.
"It was really, really bad."
Mr Parker said it was common for building sites to be shut down during high winds and bad weather, but this was a unique situation.
