Over a hundred Malta Shipyards employees yesterday filed a judicial protest against the Malta Shipyards and a jointing sheet supplier, holding them responsible for damages suffered when they were not informed that they were working on sheets that contained asbestos.

The 111 men, who filed the protest in the First Hall of the Civil Court, explained how they all worked at the Malta Shipyards and worked on jointing sheets or in the vicinity.

Last week the Malta Shipyards filed a judicial protest against Inter-Power Limited and its representatives Edward and Keith Micallef St John.

In the protest Malta Shipyards claimed that Inter-Power had supplied it with jointing sheets that, according to the specifications, were to be asbestos-free. However, when tested, the Malta Shipyards found that the sheets contained traces of asbestos.

In the protest filed yesterday the employees noted that according to the law, employees and their representatives were to be informed if any material contained asbestos.

Although the Malta Shipyards had declared (in the protest filed last week) that it was not aware about the presence of the asbestos, it was still duty bound to ensure that materials containing asbestos were not used due to the health hazard.

As for Inter-Power, the employees said, it had acted against the law and was to be held responsible.

The employees therefore held the Malta Shipyards and Inter-Power liable in damages.

Lawyer Steven Farrugia Sacco signed the protest.