Australian Dust Taskforce Report to be Published
by CCUK Support
A national taskforce in Australia that was setup in 2019 to investigate dust related diseases in the country is due to publish their report in the coming days.
According to the official website for The Department of Health for Australia the main aim of this taskforce, announced in July 2019 by the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy, is ‘to develop a national approach for the prevention, early identification, control and management of occupational dust diseases in Australia.’ In the seventh meeting held by the taskforce at the end of April it was confirmed that the report is due by 30th June to be provided to the Minister for Health.
In the build up to this report being published unions such as the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) have made it clear what they would like to see included in order to protect workers in affected industries. Some of the ideas put forward are a compensation fund for workers, penalties for employers who don’t follow the guidelines and a national health screening program to be rolled out. In response to these requests, Michelle Baxter, the chief executive of Safe Work Australia, who are themselves a member of this taskforce told a Senate estimates hearing “I don’t know where those issues will ultimately land”.
When the report has been published, we will provide a blog overviewing what the exact plans are to tackle deadly dust in Australia.
You can find out more details on the above stories in the following article:
https://www.gloucesteradvocate.com.au/story/7280171/tradies-still-waiting-for-silicosis-action/
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ohp-nat-dust-disease-taskforce.htm
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