A carpenter who claims he was allegedly exposed to a toxic and noxious chemical while working on a job at the Intel Ireland plant has launched a High Court action.
Mark Callan, his counsel Barney Quirke SC told the court, has been left with a very significant, lasting and disabling chronic asthmatic condition.
Opening the case, Mr Quirke instructed by Tiernan Solicitors told the court that it was their case that there was an alleged cluster of 17 people who had worked on the pop out crew on a job at the Intel plant in Leixlip, Co Kildare around 10 years ago who had displayed symptoms including asthma and headaches and vomiting which he said were the classic symptoms of exposure to the chemical, Penatron.
Mr Quirke said it was also their contention that at the time the method used to mix the “dangerous” chemical Penatron in a regular bucket was “primitive and Dickensian.”
Counsel said this was changed to another system using jugs and a trolley after the alleged cluster appeared and a third pump system similar to that used in the US was brought in on December 2014, where Counsel said the chemical was mixed in a machine which was a far more satisfactory manner, “but it was too late for Mark Callan.”
He said concerns among the crew working on the pop out at the Intel plant became greater in January 2014 when the carpenter was hospitalised for “an unknown reason" but with symptoms including headaches and vomiting.
Counsel said the evidence would also be that a chemical alarm system went off on a regular basis and particularly as the pop out crew work intensified.
Mr Quirke said the appropriate thing to do once it was known about the alleged cluster would have been to close down the factory.
Mark Callan (50) from Ballyoran, Dundalk, Co Louth has sued his employer Ardmac Ltd with registered offices at Swords Business Campus, Balheary Road, Swords, Co Dublin and Intel Ltd with registered offices at Collinstown Industrial Park, Leixllip Co Kildare and Intel Ireland Ltd with registered offices at Simmonscourt House, Simmonscourt Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin.
The works were being carried out by Ardmac at the Intel, Leixlip, Co Kildare plant.
Mr Callan has claimed he was allegedly exposed to toxic and noxious chemicals including Penatron /ASTC 3003c over a period of 13 months from July 2013 to August 2014 allegedly while carrying out work at the Intel manufacturing plant in Leixlip.
It is further claimed there was an alleged failure to have regard to the fact that the system of work devised allegedly involved Mr Callan and his co-employees allegedly being exposed to a sensitising agent over a protracted period and that they developed symptoms allegedly consistent with being exposed to noxious fumes or toxic chemical agents.
It is further claimed that the alleged symptoms of Mr Callan and his co employees tended to improve when away from work.
All the claims are denied by Ardmac and Intel and full defences have been filed, Ms Justice Denise Brett was told.
The case which is expected to last three weeks continues.
