Security officers are refusing to test potentially hazardous white powder found in Parliament House, because they say management is ignoring their concerns that lives are being put in danger over lack of training and safety equipment.
BuzzFeed News revealed in May that officers were forced test white powder mailed to prime minister Malcolm Turnbull's office in Parliament House while wearing $6.94 disposable painting overalls from Bunnings Warehouse.
Instead of following the Parliament House security manual’s “response to white powder detection” procedure and calling the ACT Fire & Rescue Hazardous Material team, officers from the building's loading dock were sent to test the powder.
Security staff told BuzzFeed News they haven't been formally trained in how to operate the mobile testing device used to determine whether powder was hazardous, and despite a $126 million security upgrade currently underway in Parliament House, they are under-equipped to do their jobs.
In the weeks since BuzzFeed News broke this story, whistleblowers say there has been no improvement to safety or training provided.
Staff say their concerns are being ignored by management within the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) and the Security Branch (also known as the Department of Security Services, DSS).
They feel they have been given no option but to refuse to conduct white powder testing until they receive adequate training and equipment.
"Nothing has changed," a security source said. "Some guys down in the loading dock have to stand up and put their head on the chopping dock for this to be realised by managers."
In emails seen by BuzzFeed News sent to the department's supervisors, management and human resources, loading dock officers say they will no longer comply with directions to test white powder found around Parliament House, as they feel their lives are being put in danger.
"I am writing in response to a request by my Supervisor that I provide a written response as to why I do no wish to use the Hazmat Elite outside of the mailroom environment," one officer wrote.
"I do not wish to use the Hazmat Elite 'upstairs' [outside the loading dock] because I am concerned about my safety," one email reads.
"When ACT Fire & Rescue Hazmat have attended incidents in the past, they always put the safety of the person who is assessing or testing the substance as a priority.
"I am very concerned that any officer testing an unknown substance is not provided with the correct protective equipment and clothing. DPS officers are not subject matter experts in hazardous substances and no not have enough intelligence/information on the current security threat environments."
Another officer said they weren't comfortable using the handheld mobile testing device the HazMatID Elite as it was not part of the official procedure for white powder incidents, according to a copy of the Parliament House security manual’s “response to white powder detection” section.
"I am not comfortable performing as a HazmatID Elite operator, as there is not documented protocol for how to proceed in handling a 'suspicious powder' incident in an uncontrolled environment, such as the House Chambers," the email says.
"I feel this lack of official guidelines leaves us open to negative consequences and liability, for instance, there does not appear to be any Workplace Health and Safety consultation."
In the emails, staff complain that they still had not been provided with any formal training in how to use the device by DPS or DSS. Instead, they were given the manual and told to read it and teach themselves.
"It troubles me that we have received no certified training in the operation of the HazmatID Elite machine," one email said. "I feel this poses an unacceptable level of risk, not only to me, but to other who may be caught up in a 'suspicious powder' incident. No-one has training in the HazMatID Elite. The people using it have read the manual, but not received any formal training.
"Additionally, I am not entirely satisfied with the actual Hazmat machine with regards to its reliability or function."
A security source told BuzzFeed News that instead of providing additional training, the untrained officers have instead been asked to instruct their security supervisors in how to use the machine, so that in the event of a white powder incident, supervisors can conduct the testing.
Loading dock staff are also concerned over their lack of safety equipment and clothing. When they are called to test powder found in the building, they don plastic “disposable overalls” purchased from Bunnings, which start at $6.94.
Officers told BuzzFeed News they also have no training in what to do if a powder turns out to be dangerous.
“What if you spill it?" one officer asked. "What’s the training? We don’t have any backup for it, if it is bad.”
In contrast, when the ACT Fire & Rescue test white powder, its HAZMAT team wears personal protection clothing that is regularly tested and maintained, as per the manufacturer’s requirements. This includes a fully sealed suit and breathing apparatus.
BuzzFeed News understands that loading dock staff have been told by supervisors that they can't be forced to comply with directions to test white powder.
Security sources say the HazMatID was originally intended for use only in the airtight mail sorting room in the loading dock.
But it has been used in at least four white powder incidents since November and sits outside the House of Representatives chamber during Question Time.
Sources say DPS management told staff that if there was a white powder incident in the chamber the "theory" was that no personal protective equipment was necessary because they were already potentially exposed and already in the contaminated area.
This same theory was deployed for staff in the mail room.
This is despite Parliament House's security manual specifying that an incident involving a “suspect item or security incident where white powder is evident” requires the attendance of the ACT Fire & Rescue Hazardous Material (HAZMAT) team.
"I must question why we are being asked to conduct these operations when the standing protocol has always been to call the ACT Hazmat Team and I am yet to see new security guidelines stating anything different," one email said.
One security officer said he has been left with sleepless nights and unwarranted stress over concerns for his safety: "It saddens me to think that management are so uncaring that they are willing to put us in harm's way in this manner."
This officer said family members have been concerned about the lack of training and adequate occupational health and safety protection, and management hasn't provided him with any reassurance to ally their fears.
"They wonder what would happen should I, or anyone else, be injured whilst I am performing this task without appropriate protection or following proper guidelines. In case of such an unfortunate incident, who would be held accountable considering that I have no written authority to reference that justifies my actions and I would have been taking an ad hoc approach to circumstances as they develop."
Another officer stated: "I would also like to indicate that this issue has caused me great personal distress... I feel pressure to do something that is fundamentally unsafe."
Instead of addressing officers' safety concerns, whistleblowers have been pursued by DPS for speaking out.
Security staff say they have been intimidated by management and told that anyone responsible for providing information to the media will face criminal charges for speaking out.
"Their motto is contain and control," said one. "Contain the incident, control the information and let no-one know about it and it all goes away."
Staff say they won't be happy until there is a Senate inquiry into the security branch.
Labor senator Kimberley Kitching has serious concerns about DPS continuing to ignore legitimate safety issues raised by security staff.
“This latest development raises further worrying questions about the Department of Parliamentary Services’ handling of white powder incidents," Kitching told BuzzFeed News.
"The department’s attitude of ‘there’s nothing to see here, move it along’ is not appropriate. The department must start taking the health and safety of its employees seriously, not to mention the health and safety of everyone else who works in or visits Parliament House.
"So far it seems the only action DPS management has taken is to launch a witch hunt to track down and punish whistleblowers who have exposed this very serious situation.”
A spokesperson for DPS did not deny the specific allegations made by staff in this story or outline what specifically has been done to address safety concerns.
"When a DPS staff member raises a concern about work safety the issue is considered and, when warranted, a change to practice is initiated," a spokesperson said.
"The HazmatID Elite device is used outside of the mailroom only when a field test is desirable, and an on-site determination has already been made through visual and situational examination that the substance to be tested does not present a material risk to the tester."