An urgent investigation is underway into a potential cancer cluster among workers at a suburban Sydney council.
At least five current or former workers at Liverpool City Council’s Moore Street office building in Sydney’s southwest have developed thyroid cancer in the last three to five years.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Urgent investigation underway into apparent cancer cluster
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today
A sixth person has reported a thyroid condition but he has not consented to take part in a NSW Health Department investigation.
Three cases were found on level six of the office, with that floor shut down and more than 40 staff relocated to level four while the probe takes place. Another case was based on level five.
The council has engaged an independent third-party environmental health consultant while the state’s health department runs a separate epidemiological investigation.
“The decision to relocate staff is in response to the council’s high level of concern for the welfare of its staff,” the council said.
“Council takes this very seriously and future action will be based on the results of the two concurrent investigations.
“Our thoughts are with those affected and we wish them a prompt recovery.”
However, the United Services Union is calling for the Moore St building to be cleared completely.
“We’re concerned the issue may be more widespread so we’d be waiting for an independent medical assessment to unequivocally clear the area before we would be recommending our members return,” USU acting general secretary Daniel Papps told 7NEWS.
“We have to remember we’re talking about a workforce that over the last couple of years has become used to remote working… so I don’t think it’s necessarily a significant stretch to say the office building itself should be cleared.”
Papps said staff were “extremely concerned” about the “extremely confronting and life-threatening” circumstances.
The University of Wollongong – which has a Liverpool campus based in the building’s lower levels, said it was working with the council and the health department, however, there was no immediate risk to staff or students.
University of NSW Professor Bernard Stewart, who investigated the infamous ABC Brisbane cluster in the mid-2000s where 18 women over 12 years developed breast cancer, said investigators will be looking at external causes.
“There are two levels of investigation which should occur in parallel – the first is whether there is an actual increase in the number of cancers notified above what would be expected… and whether there is an external or outside cause which would account for an increased incidence of cancer in a particular group or community,” he told 7NEWS.
“In respect of a proven cause, thyroid cancer is extremely difficult. There is only one proven cause of thyroid cancer and that is ionising radiation… but speaking generally, for seven out of eight cases of thyroid cancer, we have no idea of the cause if indeed there is one.”
– with reporting by AAP and Paul Kadak