Chemical storage angers Kingston union official

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19436835&BRD=1769&PAG=461&dept_id=74969&rfi=6

By Paul Kirby, Freeman staff
03/30/2008
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KINGSTON - A city union official is questioning why Kingston Public Works Superintendent Steve Gorsline has stockpiled $8,000 to $9,000 worth of sewer-flushing chemicals that the labor leader said are rarely used and that employees are not trained to handle.

In all, 51 5-gallon containers of the powdered chemical, known as ND-66, are stored in various Department of Public Works buildings or outside the buildings, according to Gorsline and Troy Ashdown, vice president of the Civil Service Employees Association.

Ashdown said he found it curious that so much of the chemical was ordered by Gorsline. Ashdown, who works in the sewer department, said it is used only once a year, "at best," and that department employees have received no training in how to handle it.

"This is highly toxic, and why should our people work with this when there are other means to solve the problem, mainly by using a sewer jet?" Ashdown said. "Why expose our workers to a possible health hazard from highly toxic chemicals if there is no need for it?"

Gorsline said he ordered about 30 containers of ND-66 in late January or early February, unaware that about 14 containers of the chemical already were stored in different locations around the city.


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