A Minns Labor government will protect workers from the growing silicosis crisis, by introducing comprehensive reforms to workplace safety laws including banning manufactured stone and ramping up screening for the lung disease.
The number of workers with silicosis is seriously underreported in NSW. But up to one in four stonemasons could have silicosis, according to a Queensland study.
The current screening process is inadequate and haphazard.
There are serious doubts about the regulator’s ability to deal with the threat of silicosis due to SafeWork’s massive turnover among inspectors; one in ten inspector positions unfilled; and 44 resignations over the past two years.
The NSW Government has also failed to establish a register of at-risk sites. There are 255 sites that SafeWork NSW knows about. Less than half are visited by inspectors each year.
SafeWork does not have a proactive program for visiting tunnels even though the risk of silica exposure is so high in this industry.
In 2022 they only undertook a handful of visits of tunnelling sites around dust and silica exposure and when they did they found significant issues including workers being exposed to silica.
Labor’s plan to protect workers
A Minns Labor Government has a comprehensive plan to address the silicosis crisis, which includes:
- Banning manufactured stone with silica concentrations above 40 per cent;
- Introducing a licensing scheme and register for at-risk sites;
- Ramping up health screening and tracking of at-risk workers;
- Strengthening workplace health and safety across all high-risk industries; and
- Research and practical support for silicosis sufferers.
Banning manufactured stone
A Minns Labor Government will support a nationally uniform ban on manufactured stone with silica concentrations above 40 per cent.
Labor will deliver this by no later than July 2024, by partnering with other states and territories.
If a national ban fails, a Minns Labor Government reserves the right to work with other jurisdictions or move alone to introduce the measure.
Mandatory licencing system
A Minns Labor Government will introduce a mandatory registration and license scheme for all sites where manufactured stone is fabricated.
All companies engaged in the fabrication of manufactured stone will be required to register with SafeWork NSW. And all fabricators will be required to register workers engaged in the fabrication of manufactured stone with SafeWork NSW.
We will consult with industry and we will learn from the experience from the licensing scheme in Victoria.
And we will review it after three years.
Ramping up health screening and tracking of at-risk workers
A Minns Labor Government will ramp up the screening of at-risk workers by registering all workers engaged in the fabrication of engineered stone.
Labor will also allow for tracking and tracing of workers, as well as the long-term monitoring of worker’s health and safety.
We will set up an expert panel to review and strengthen our screening regime.
Screening will be comprehensive and include full lung function tests as well as a centralised reporting system.
Labor will examine how enforcement can be strengthened where employers fail to provide screening for their employees.
Strengthening workplace health and safety
A Minns Labor Government will strengthen regulations, learning from the experience in Victoria and its provisions for working with silica.
It will cover all industries such as quarrying and tunnelling.
In will include mandatory silica awareness training of all workers covered by the regulations. Companies will be required to undertake regular air monitoring. These results be required to be reported to SafeWork NSW.
This is in line with the latest NSW inquiry which highlighted the importance of health and safety reps in keeping workplaces safe.
Research and practical support for silicosis sufferers
A Minns Labor Government will commit $5 million over 3 years to support the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute’s (ADRI) work on silicosis research.
Labor will also establish a NSW silicosis patient support program to provide a respiratory nurse specialist and social work support for patients and families navigating silicosis.
Quotes attributable to Chris Minns, NSW Labor leader:
“I don’t think anyone reading the reports and watching the impacts of Silicosis on workers isn’t affected by their stories.
“We have to protect workers and we have to act now.
“It’s clear the state’s current safety checks are not up to scratch. Every day that goes by without reform is another day NSW workers lives are put at risk. There must be a complete ban on manufactured stone, coupled with urgent reform of Safework NSW now, which Labor will deliver.”
Quotes attributable to Daniel Mookhey, NSW Shadow Treasurer:
“The NSW Parliament has had four reviews highlighting the urgency of dealing with silicosis, yet the NSW Liberals have done nothing. Only NSW Labor has a plan to protect our state’s workers from silicosis.”
Quotes attributable to Sophie Cotsis, NSW Shadow Minister for Work, Health and Safety:
“It is unacceptable for Safework to be sending letters in response to serious incidents rather than inspectors, but that is the position we are in under the Liberals. NSW Labor will reform the current inspecting rules to protect our state’s workers.
“NSW has lagged behind other states in dealing with the silicosis crisis in regards to both prevention and support for patients. Only Labor will deliver real change to protect our state’s workers and ensure current silicosis patients receive the support they deserve.”
CHRIS MINNS MP
NSW LABOR LEADER
DANIEL MOOKHEY MLC
NSW SHADOW TREASURER
SOPHIE COTSIS MP
NSW SHADOW MINISTER FOR WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY
NSW SHADOW MINISTER FOR INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
