Man claims Auckland Harbour Bridge work made him sick

A man who became badly ill while working near the Auckland Harbour Bridge is speaking out after revelations the land was contaminated with heavy metals. Ralph Morgan says his employer, Auckland Council, should have taken more precautions because it knew about the problem but did not tell him. RNZ recently revealed the council knew since 2011 about the elevated heavy metal levels in soil at both ends of the bridge. But the council argues the health risks were low and it's taken all reasonable steps to respond to Morgan's concerns. Morgan worked without protection shovelling up dust for a day in an identified 'hotspot' near Westhaven marina in March 2014. The council says subsequent tests showed elevated levels of zinc, lead, chromium and nickel but not at levels of a risk to human health. ACC accepted Morgan's claim for acute pneumonitis but rejected his claim of heavy metal poisoning. The 59-year-old and his wife, Jane, a nurse, are in no doubt bridge maintenance dust made him sick.