The Senate Community Affairs References Committee Workplace exposure to toxic dust May 2006 © Commonwealth of Australia 2006 ISBN 0 642 71571 8 Senate Community Affairs References Committee Secretariat: Mr Elton Humphery (Secretary) Ms Christine McDonald (Principal Research Officer) Ms Kerrie Martain (Principal Research Officer) Ms Leonie Peake (Research Officer) Ms Ingrid Zappe (Executive Assistant) The Senate Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Phone: 02 6277 3515 Fax: 02 6277 5829 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca This document was produced by the Senate Community Affairs References Committee Secretariat and printed by the Senate Printing Unit, Parliament House, Canberra. v MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE Members Senator Claire Moore, Chair ALP, Queensland Senator Gary Humphries, Deputy Chaiman LP, Australian Capital Territory Senator Judith Adams LP, Western Australia Senator Lyn Allison AD, Victoria Senator Carol Brown ALP, Tasmania Senator Helen Polley ALP, Tasmania Participating Members Senator the Hon Eric Abetz LP, Tasmania Senator Guy Barnett LP, Tasmania Senator Andrew Bartlett AD, Queensland Senator Cory Bernardi LP, South Australia Senator Mark Bishop ALP, Western Australia Senator Bob Brown AG, Tasmania Senator George Campbell ALP, New South Wales Senator Kim Carr ALP, Victoria Senator Grant Chapman LP, South Australia Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck LP, Tasmania Senator the Hon Helen Coonan LP, New South Wales Senator Trish Crossin ALP, Northern Territory Senator Alan Eggleston LP, Western Australia Senator Chris Evans ALP, Western Australia Senator the Hon John Faulkner ALP, New South Wales Senator Alan Ferguson LP, South Australia Senator Jeannie Ferris LP, South Australia Senator Steve Fielding FFP, Victoria Senator Michael Forshaw ALP, New South Wales Senator Annette Hurley ALP, South Australia Senator Barnaby Joyce NATS, Queensland Senator Ross Lightfoot LP, Western Australia Senator Joseph Ludwig ALP, Queensland Senator Kate Lundy ALP, Australian Capital Territory Senator Julian McGauran NPA, Victoria Senator Brett Mason LP, Queensland Senator Christine Milne AG, Tasmania Senator Andrew Murray AD, Western Australia Senator Kerry Nettle AG, NSW Senator Kerry O'Brien ALP, Tasmania Senator Stephen Parry LP, Tasmania Senator Marise Payne LP, New South Wales Senator Rachel Siewert AG, Western Australia Senator Ursula Stephens ALP, New South Wales Senator Natasha Stott Despoja AD, South Australia Senator John Watson LP, Tasmania Senator Ruth Webber ALP, Western Australia Senator Penny Wong ALP, South Australia vii TABLE OF CONTENTS MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE ................................................................. v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.........................................................................................xi RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................................xiii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................1 Terms of reference..................................................................................................1 Conduct of the inquiry............................................................................................1 Background to the inquiry......................................................................................2 Impact of exposure to toxic dust .........................................................................2 Australian Safety and Compensation Council (ASCC) .........................................5 CHAPTER 2 HEALTH IMPACTS OF WORKPLACE EXPOSURE TO TOXIC DUST.................7 Crystalline silica .....................................................................................................7 Exposure to crystalline silica...............................................................................8 Silicosis............................................................................................................8 Latency.............................................................................................................9 Risks to the community .................................................................................11 Airway disease...............................................................................................12 Lung cancer....................................................................................................14 Other diseases related to respirable crystalline silica ....................................16 Beryllium..............................................................................................................17 Timber dust...........................................................................................................17 Alumina ................................................................................................................19 Textile dusts..........................................................................................................19 CHAPTER 3 THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF ILLNESS AND DISABILITY...........................21 Data sources..........................................................................................................21 Incidence of disease related to toxic dust.............................................................25 Incidence of disease related to exposure to respirable crystalline silica...........30 Silicosis..........................................................................................................31 Airway disease...............................................................................................36 Costs associated with adverse health effects .................................................37 Incidence of disease associated with beryllium ................................................37 Conclusions ..........................................................................................................38 viii CHAPTER 4 HEALTH SERVICES ..................................................................................................41 Diagnoses and medical services ...........................................................................41 Employee health surveillance...............................................................................44 Employee records ..............................................................................................48 Conclusions ..........................................................................................................49 CHAPTER 5 REGULATIONS GOVERNING WORKPLACE EXPOSURE TO TOXIC DUST...51 Occupational health and safety regulation in Australia........................................51 Workplace Chemicals Framework ....................................................................52 Prohibitions....................................................................................................53 National exposure standards..........................................................................53 National Codes of Practice and Guidance Information .................................53 State and Territory regulations .............................................................................54 Implementation of the regulatory regime.............................................................54 Timeliness..........................................................................................................54 Enforcement ......................................................................................................57 Notification of risks...........................................................................................61 Exposure standard for crystalline silica.............................................................65 Exposure standard for beryllium .......................................................................70 Conclusions ..........................................................................................................70 CHAPTER 6 COMPENSATION.......................................................................................................73 Access to compensation .......................................................................................73 Limitations in seeking legal redress .....................................................................77 Alternative models of financial support ...............................................................79 CHAPTER 7 NANOTECHNOLOGY ...............................................................................................83 Nanoscience and nanotechnology ........................................................................83 Investment in nanotechnologies ........................................................................85 Health and safety concerns...................................................................................86 Occupational health and safety issues...............................................................88 Impact on health of workers ..........................................................................89 Measurement and monitoring of nanoparticles .............................................90 Regulatory regimes........................................................................................91 Occupational health and safety research funding ..........................................92 Response to concerns.....................................................................................93