The Environmental Health Department is investigating a construction worker's claim that he and at least six of his colleagues have fallen ill after working on houses formerly owned by the US Navy.

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Royal Gazette that men who had been working in the roofs of the houses during phase two of the development plan at Southside had become sick.

And Chief Environmental Officer Estlyn Harvey said she would investigate the matter.

The worker said symptoms included having a dry, scratchy throat, nausea, upset stomach and diarrhoea and some eye irritation.

The severity and length of time the symptoms persist depended on how long workers had been in the roof, he continued, and had lasted from a day to more than a week.

He said there was grey dust throughout the area under the roof and said he thought it might be coming from duct work in the houses.

The worker said he had complained to Bermuda Land Development Corporation facilities manager Rudy Daniels who told him that, if he was worried about pollutants in the houses, he should use respiratory gear.

And when workers asked for clarification on the site's safety, he added, they were not given a straight answer and still had not received one.

He said workers were waiting for documentation to show that everything was safe in the houses.

Meanwhile they do not want to work in the roofs of the houses for fear of contamination from an unknown source.

"At first we thought it was all in our minds,'' the worker said.

"But it came down to having to designate workers to go up into the roof as no one wanted to.'' There are four independent contractors currently working on phase two of the project which is expected to finish soon.

The renovation and development of the homes at the former naval base was split into three phases. Phase one was completed and residents have moved in to the homes.

The construction worker said they the houses being refurbished during phase two were to go on sale to low income families.

The buildings to be developed during phase three are currently having potentially cancer causing asbestos materials removed in preparation for renovation work.

BLDC chief executive officer George Smith and Mr. Daniels have not returned calls from The Royal Gazette .

And Urban Design Associates architect Stanley Kennedy declined to comment when contacted yesterday.

Several of the other companies involved in the project at various stages said they had not experienced problems with sick workers.

ENVIRONMENT ENV