WOHC News

Medical and Occupational Health & Safety News

From The Workers’ Occupational Health Centre

Number 1 - June 2002

Asbestos still a risk

Asbestos is a mineral fibre with the potential to cause diseases, including asbestosis, cancer and mesothelioma. Asbestos related cancer and mesothelioma may present 20 years or more after exposure to the fibres.

In Australia importation of asbestos products is being banned. However asbestos remains a major problem.

“Many workers are still being exposed to asbestos” - stated Dr Helen Sutcliffe - “as they work in, renovate, alter or demolish old buildings”.

Dr Sutcliffe, Medical Director of the Workers’ Occupational Health Centre has urged all employers to ensure that “meticulous assessments according to the Asbestos Regulations” be made prior to work on old buildings and industrial plants to avoid new exposures to workers.

 However many workers have been exposed years ago, and the number of workers with new asbestos diseases will not peak until 2020 in Australia.

The Workers’ Occupational Health Centre has established a Register of Asbestos Related Exposure.

Dr Sutcliffe recommends modern surveillance methods including Low Dose

Spiral CT scans for workers who have been exposed in the past. It is recommended that medical surveillance is arranged following asbestos exposure.

Industrial Manslaughter Laws

The Industrial Manslaughter Legislation did not receive majority support in the Victorian Legislative Council in early June and has not been enacted into  law.

This legislation was designed to place on employers the responsibility for cases of gross negligence in the management of a workplace where the death of a worker occurred. The legislation had been extensively debated in Victoria since October 2000.

On 23 April a union demonstration of 7,000 workers supported the introduction of the Industrial Manslaughter Laws in front of Parliament in Melbourne.

The Workers’ Occupational Health Centre  maintains its support for the introduction of the legislation.

Occupational Asthma

Asthma caused by workplace exposure continues to occur in workplaces.

Dr Helen Sutcliffe has noted that when workers present with Occupational Asthma, this is a sentinel event, and a professional evaluation of the situation at the workplace is necessary to address the problem for workers and employers alike.

Work Safe Week 17 – 21 June

One of the many highlights of this year’s Work Safe Week will be a one day refresher course for OH&S Reps, hosted by the Victorian Trades Hall Council. This event will feature a talk by British Health & Safety expert Rory O’Neil.