Liverpool Council probing potential cancer cluster after five women working metres from each other became ill
Five women who all work in the same Sydney office have been diagnosed with cancer, raising fears of a growing cluster.
Liverpool City Council, in Sydney’s south-west, says five people working from its Moore Street office have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the past three to five years.
A sixth person has reported a thyroid condition but has not agreed to participate in a NSW Health Department study.
Three of the cases were found on floor six of the office, with that floor closed and staff moved to floor four while the investigation took place.
The council has engaged an external environmental health consultant while the Ministry of Health conducts a separate epidemiological investigation.
Jenny Havilah (pictured), one of the workers still recovering from surgery for thyroid cancer, admitted she was worried about everyone at the Liverpool City Council Moore St office after the discovery of a potential cancer cluster
“The decision to redeploy staff is in response to the council’s strong concerns about the welfare of its staff,” the council said in a statement.
‘The Council takes this very seriously and future action will be based on the results of the two concurrent investigations.’
Jenny Havilah, one of the employees still recovering from thyroid cancer surgery, admitted she was worried about everyone in the office.
“It certainly sounds very sinister… I’m worried about my colleagues, not just on the sixth floor (but) who worked in that building,” she told Nine News.
‘I had my thyroid and some lymph nodes removed and I will get the results in about a week.’
The United Services Union called for more action, including the complete evacuation of the Moore St building.
Liverpool City Council, in Sydney’s south-west, says five people working from its Moore St office (pictured) have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the past three to five years
“We don’t know what we are dealing with here, all employees in the Moore St building need to be accommodated immediately, I can’t say it any clearer,” USU acting general secretary Daniel Papps said.
“We are deeply concerned that a number of our members are ill and that their well-being and that of their colleagues is the only thing that matters at this time.”
The council told Nine it had been informed that it was ‘unlikely that there is a causal link between our workplace and the diagnosis of cancer’.
