Pressure is mounting on federal and state governments to not repeat previous errors and fast-track a ban on lethal silica mud.
State and federal work well being and security ministers will meet in Canberra on Tuesday, with the mud – present in engineered stone generally used for family benchtops – excessive on the agenda.
Exposure to the mud is linked to growing silicosis and lung most cancers.
The CFMEU and the Australian Workers’ Union are amongst these pushing for the ministers to not “squander their historic chance” to guard employees from publicity.
Modelling by Curtin University estimates that as much as 103,000 employees throughout all sectors might be identified with silicosis on account of their publicity to silica mud.
An extra 10,000 employees are predicted to develop lung most cancers.
Kitchen benchtops constructed from the engineered stone are particularly harmful, with one in 4 individuals who work with them growing silicosis.
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke mentioned he was assured that his state and territory counterparts would help a fast-tracked ban on the engineered stone.
Mr Burke mentioned he didn’t need to repeat the error that was made ready to ban asbestos.
“We waited 70 years from when we were told about the dangers of asbestos before we go to a ban,” he instructed ABC Radio.
“I don’t want us to be making the same mistake this time.”
If 60 per cent of the ministers help the transfer, a fast-track ban of the fabric could possibly be carried out.
“I’ve got a good degree of confidence as to how the meeting will go today. But obviously, jurisdictions are free to put whatever view they want,” Mr Burke mentioned.
“But as we’ve had the conversations office to office, it hasn’t been a party politics thing across which governments, Labor or Liberal. There has been a good degree of support for the concept that we shouldn’t be waiting any longer before we’re at least scoping out what a ban might look like.”
The CFMEU has mentioned it might take the “extremely rare step” of banning the engineered stone itself from subsequent 12 months until the federal and state governments act first.
“Ministers have the chance to make this a historic day for the safety of Australian workers,” CFMEU nationwide secretary Zach Smith mentioned.
“Workplace deaths should be above politics. We’ve got clear evidence thousands of Australian workers are dying because of deadly dust getting in their lungs at work.
“We can’t afford to waste another day.”
The AWU has an analogous message for the federal government, saying the assembly could be a “failure” until robust motion was instantly introduced.
“It’s time for action. It’s time to stop people dying,” AWU nationwide secretary Daniel Wolton mentioned.
“No more consultation, no more stakeholder engagement, no more delays. Action today.
“We need tunnelling companies to undertake regular, mandatory air monitoring and report the results immediately and transparently.
“We need unions to be able to take monitoring devices on site. We need tougher penalties on companies that do not take adequate measures to protect workers from silica dust exposure whether that‘s about poor ventilation, inadequate PPE or anything else.”
Any ban wouldn’t be quick, with a six-month scoping course of from SafeWork Australia earlier than a report is taken into account later this 12 months.
That scoping would contemplate what share of silica in stone could be banned.
Source: www.news.com.au
