Media Release
Lung Foundation Australia is urgently reminding people to have their say before public consultation on the National Silicosis Prevention Strategy (NSPS) 2023-2028 and accompanying National Action Plan (NAP) ends this week and welcomed the release of the Communique following the recent Work Health and Safety Ministers’ Meeting.
Lung Foundation Australia CEO, Mark Brooke, said the Communique has strong alignment with elements of the NSPS and NAP, which is currently out for public consultation via Lung Foundation Australia’s website.
The NSPS and NAP outlines urgent prevention strategies to protect Australian workers and to ultimately eliminate silicosis as an occupational disease in Australia.
Guided by an Expert Steering Committee comprising of business, unions, industry, health care professionals and work health and safety experts and led by Dr Ryan Hoy and Kate Cole OAM, the NSPS and NAP maps out failsafe preventive measures, strong legislation and regulation that is consistently enforced, coordinated surveillance and monitoring, expanded air monitoring programs and improved health screening methods.
While states and territories have unanimously agreed to explore an import ban on engineered stone, a comprehensive strategy that encompasses all industries including mining, quarrying, tunnelling, construction and certain manufacturing processes is required.
The draft NSPS and NAP urges Government at all levels to not simply focus on kitchen benchtops but ensure a rigorous approach to worker’s lung health safety is applied to all industries and settings. It is estimated up to 600,000 Australian workers are potentially being exposed to silica dust each year across a wide range of industries.
‘To date, the NSPS consultation feedback has highlighted a fragmented approach from State to State and these differing views are hampering progress and risking lives. The feedback points towards the need for an independent body to oversee the prevention of silicosis in the future’ Mr Brooke said.
“Respondents have little confidence in Safe Work Australia as a fit for purpose body capable of bringing about reform particularly when States and Territories have adopted vastly different preventive measures.”
Mr Brooke said the large number of silicosis cases that have been identified in the last five years clearly demonstrate that silicosis, and occupational lung disease more broadly, must be regarded as a national emergency.
Lung Foundation Australia is currently seeking feedback on the draft NSPS and NAP as part of public consultation, open until Friday 5pm AEST 10th March 2023.
To access the draft Strategy and Action Plan and provide feedback, visit our National Silicosis Prevention Strategy Consultation hub.
For media enquiries, please contact :
Anna Jeffries, Media and Communications Specialist
annaj@lungfoundation.com.au or 0408 191 192