Cold? You can always burn some midnight oil.
Midnight Oil singer in hot water over insulation deaths
By Philippa Bourke Feb 18, 2010, 7:30 GMT
Former Midnight Oil singer turned politician Peter Garrett is under fire after four insulation-related deaths in Australia.
The death of a 22-year-old man installing insulation on February 4 led to calls last week for Garrett to resign as Australian environment minister.
A senate enquiry into the deaths associated with the government insulation scheme started on Thursday.
Mitchell Sweeney died on the job in north Queensland. His mother Wendy told radio she had not heard from authorities in nearly two weeks since his death. She said her son and his two co-workers received only four days' training in how to install insulation.
Garrett, who has reportedly ignored calls to resign, phoned her yesterday but could not answer her questions about what action will follow.
'[Garrett] sounded genuine when he called and said he was sorry about what had happened,' Wendy Sweeney said. 'He offered his condolences, but said he couldn't comment on the investigation, so I still don't have any answers.'
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1534534.php/Midnight-Oil-singer-in-hot-water-over-insulation-deaths
“She said her son and his two co-workers received only four days’ training in how to install insulation.”
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This mother’s “kid” couldn’t figure out how to install insulation in FOUR DAYS??
ENVIRONMENT Minister Peter Garrett is under pressure to offer free safety checks for 37,000 houses with potentially deadly foil insulation installed under the government’s stimulus package, after he suspended the program today in the wake of four deaths.
And the Rudd government has ordered a second inquiry into a troubled program which offers cheap loans of up to $10,000 to “green” homes, conceding it is not working properly
On Monday, The Australian revealed an audit of almost 1000 homes in Queensland has found that in about 2 per cent of cases, foil insulation was installed inappropriately, causing the roof to become “live”.
This means that if home owners enter their roof space and touch the insulation, they could be shocked or electrocuted.
If the foil touches metal frames or pipes, it could cause other parts of houses, including taps, to become electrified.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/foil-insulation-program-suspended-after-deaths/story-e6frg6xf-1225828406965