Former Maersk Drilling employee protests asbestos found on oil rig

Jul 27, 2009

Dieter Vetter, a former employee of a Maersk Drilling oil rig in Australia, staged a one-man protest at Lascelles Wharf concerning asbestos exposure on the rig. After working on the oil rig as a fitter, Vetter was elected health and safety officer. He claims that he was let go from the company when he raised safety concerns about asbestos in the rig’s pipe gaskets and exhaust system.

Maersk Drilling cleaned up the asbestos after it had been found, and a spokesman for WorkSafe said that a post-cleanup review revealed no health and safety concerns. The oil rig, Kan Tan IV, is undergoing a multimillion dollar six-week refit.

Vetter began his protest at 5:30am on July 9, 2009 in icy cold weather. He stated that he believes he was dismissed from the company because of his elected position as HR rep. Police asked him to move away from the rig enclosure, and he moved without incident.

Jakob Diemer, senior general manager of engineering for Maersk Drilling, said that asbestos testing had returned an “all-clear,” and that the company had gone by WorkSafe’s requirements to ensure the safety of the crew living on the rig.

Tony Bradford, a representative of employee contractor Rulway, stated that Vetter had been a casual employee and that a number of casual employees had been laid off during the ramping down of a project.

For the full story, go to Geelong Advertiser.

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