Moves by Chubb Security to force their armoured vehicle operators to wear bullet proof vests are being strongly resisted by the guards themselves.
The armed guards who are taking part in a trial of the vests say there are numerous health and safety issues with them.
One of their major concerns is a fear that armed criminals - knowing the guards would be wearing bullet proof vests - would aim for the head.
In submissions to the company in all states, our members have shot holes in Chubb's "Personal Body Armour Policy."
They say the firm does not have their interests at heart and is only trying to cover themselves against insurance liability.
The catalyst for the Policy appears to be the killing of a Chubb security guard at a Melbourne shopping centre in 2005.
Mr Erwin Kastenberger was shot at close range by low-life thug Hugo Rich who was recently jailed for life for the brutal murder - with a minimum of 30 years.
Rich struck Mr Kastenberger on the head with a semi-automatic hand-gun before shooting him in the shoulder near the neck.
The pistol bullet cut through his heart, lungs and liver. He was dead before his killer got to the getaway car.
It was a horrific incident but a bullet proof vest would not have saved Mr Kastenberger's life.
In the past, bullet proof vests have been trialled in WA on five occasions and each time they have been rejected.
Queensland is the only state in Australia where armoured vehicle operators can be forced to wear the vests. And even over there, their wearing has been contained to a small regional branch.
And the Queensland guards are told they can take their vests off when the temperature reaches 30 degrees.
As one of our Chubb members asked, "Are criminals NOT going to hold us up once it gets too hot?"
Another driver taking part in the WA trial explained how wearing the vests had seriously affected his health.
"I found that my weight is constantly fluctuating. I can lose anywhere between 3-6 kilo's in two weeks."
He wrote in a letter to the company "Then, in the week I don't wear it, I put it all back on again.
"This causes me to feel ill, lethargic and always tired," he explained.
This story has a long way to run. The TWU is fighting court cases against the company in NSW, Victoria and here in WA.
We'll let you know how things go.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
