Workers inhale toxic gas on construction site

An investigation is under way after two workers were injured after a gas leak at a construction site in Aberdeen.

The men were eventually taken to hospital after inhaling a strong-smelling gas at Seafood Park near the city's Union Square shopping centre two weeks ago.

Aberdeen City Council has closed down the construction site following the accident, it is believed.

The two agency workers reportedly became ill and started vomiting after they were exposed to hydrogen sulfide gas on October 13.

Unite union spokesman Tommy Campbell has criticised the council for failing to report the incident to the Health and Safety Executive for two weeks.

He said a local authority employee arrived at the scene immediately after the accident and took the men to a council office instead of straight to hospital.

When it became clear that they were both suffering badly from the effects of the gas, they were taken to hospital.

At high concentrations the gas can be fatal. Continued exposure to low levels of the explosive gas can result in chronic poisoning.

Pete Leonard, the council's director of housing and environment, said in an email that he has instructed a "full review of roles, practices, procedures, training, culture and communication" across the whole of the business.

He said that there was "no possibility of fatality or long-term injury" to the men who inhaled the gas.

Harry Frew, Scottish regional secretary for Ucatt union said his colleague Steven Dillon had visited the site and discovered a catalogue of safety failures, including a lack of proper training or supervision and problems with scaffolding.

He said: "We expect, regardless of who the organisation is, that the standard and quality of work would be backed up with proper training to make sure workers are in a safe working environment and can go home safely at night."

An HSE spokeswoman confirmed that the council had reported the incident on October 27.

She said: "The incident did not meet HSE's incident selection criteria so was not selected for investigation. HSE is continuing to work with the duty holder and employee representatives."

Mr Frew said the decision by the HSE was "not good enough".

He said: "We really need a strong HSE dealing with these issues. Whenever we highlight things like this we expect them to address it and deal with it."