TREAT TEX RAY WORKERS NOW OR ELSE - EXPERTS

Inside one of the Tex Ray factory shells.

MANZINI – Occupational Health and Safety experts have come out to say the Tex Ray workers who inhaled toxic fumes could suffer fatal complications if they are not treated properly.

The experts said this during a press conference held at Simavsheq offices in Manzini yesterday. This warning was issued by Mavela Sigwane of Simavsheq Consultancy together with his partner Dr Muyabala Munachitombwe Muna of Muna Health Life Institute.

“Redress has to be taken soon concerning the matter that occurred at Tex Ray as the results of inhaling these fumes are catastrophic. We will lose people, it may be not now but in the future deaths will occur,” Sigwane said.

“We know that chemical, that’s why we did not want to be involved and rather recommended that the NOSA National Occupational Safety Association Ltd should come in and investigate the toxic fumes incident at the company. We are Swazis and we know that the effects of this chemical are long-term and we did not want to be blamed for the catastrophic issues that will come as a result of this incident,” Sigwane emphasised.

He explained that those who inhaled the toxic fumes needed to be treated by occupational health specialists and not general health practitioners.
He mentioned that Dr Muna was ready to see those who were affected during the incident, adding that even if the treatment they will be enrolled in will not completely heal the effects of the fumes in their lungs, the fact that something was being done on the matter would vindicate government and the affected factory in the future.

It was further said the fumes that the workers were exposed to at Tex Ray a fortnight ago were fatal and if left untreated, those who inhaled the toxic gas would suffer from respiratory complications which will affect their lungs and other parts of their respiratory system.

Workers employed at Tex Ray inhaled Buthyl Acetae which is alleged to have been mixed with other components including Benzene. The chemicals are said to have been mixed improperly and this resulted in the release of toxic fumes which resulted in over 400 workers collapsing, convulsing where they lay and experiencing breathing difficulties while others lost consciousness.

Another occupational health expert revealed that, although he did not know the effects of the combination of the two chemicals on the workers, Benzene in its pure form, when inhaled, caused cancer.
He said he had to research more on the subject before giving his opinion on the effects of inhaling fumes containing the lethal combination of Benzene and Buthyl Acetae.

The affected employees complained of chest pains after the incident. They said they felt like their throats were drying up and they could not breath.  Some were found queuing to receive water from paramedics parked near the affected factory. They revealed that they all started displaying symptoms similar to people suffering from asthma.
Others, however, said they began haemorrhaging heavily.

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