Silica in the News
Workers with deadly silicosis and their families are still waiting for action on the incurable disease that has been dubbed the new asbestosis.
A national dust disease task force set up in 2019 is due to hand its final recommendations to government this month, after getting a COVID-19 extension. Read more: mandurahmail.com.au
Stone benchtops are the latest must-haves in kitchens across Australia. But few know about the risks involved to the tradespeople preparing these benchtops.
Kyle Goodwin, 36, worked as a stonemason for 10 years before discovering he had silicosis. Read more: thenewdaily.com.au
Former stonemason and father of three Nicholas Boreham is seeking compensation in Australia for an incurable lung disease caused by silica dust from engineered stone.
The 33-year-old Lower Hutt man is urging other New Zealanders who have worked for engineered stone fabricators across the Tasman to apply for Australian worker compensation if health checks show lung damage from exposure to toxic levels of silica. Read more: stuff.co.nz
The big slab of Carrara marble in Fabio Valle’s Christchurch living room is a monument to his country of birth and the stone masonry job he abandoned to protect his health.
In late 2019 a CT scan showed the 33-year-old former ultra-marathon runner had nodules on his lung, and four months ago he became a real estate agent. “It was a shock. I was quite fit, and I never had any issues with my breathing.” Read more: stuff.co.nz
Construction sites across northern Sydney can expect a visit from SafeWork Inspectors this week who will be targeting unsafe working systems across all building trades.
Meagan McCool Safework NSW Director of Construction Metropolitan said as part of a state-wide crackdown on the industry… Read more: miragenews.com
The Australian Workers’ Union applauds the Australian Labor Party for committing to action to battle the silicosis epidemic at its National Conference.
Each year 600,000 Australian workers are exposed to respirable crystalline silica (silica) dust. Read more: miragenews.com
Claims relating to a deadly lung disease in tradies caused by working with artificial stone are surging as those in the firing line rush to get screened for the illness. These are the signs to look out for.
Read more: Daily Telegraph
WorkSafe insurers have accepted a compensation claim for an employee who was diagnosed with lupus after being exposed to toxic silica dust, in what lawyers believe could be an Australia-first decision.
Lupus is an inflammatory disease which causes the immune system to attack its own tissues. It can affect the heart, lungs and brain.
Read more: ABC News
Silicosis is a lung disease caused by breathing in too much silica dust. It is a progressive disease that causes symptoms like cough and shortness of breath.
Silicosis is one of a group of medical conditions known as pneumoconioses. These diseases are caused by breathing in different kinds of dust particles, usually in a work environment, that causes scarring inside the lung. Read more:verywellhealth.com
Construction sites across the NSW North Coast from Ballina to Tweed Heads can expect a visit
from SafeWork Inspectors this week who will be targeting unsafe working systems across all
building trades. Read more: miragenews.com
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