The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) urges the Federal Government to fully implement the recommendations of the National Dust Diseases Taskforce (the Taskforce) to protect the wellbeing of workers at risk of developing silicosis and other dust related diseases.
RANZCR strongly supports the Taskforce report and calls on the Government to establish a national respiratory disease register. The register would effectively monitor patient cases and disease progression providing a snapshot of disease at any time as well as collecting essential data.
The recommendation 5.b in the Taskforce report of better supporting medical, health and other related professionals to improve the diagnosis and management of silicosis should be urgently progressed.
Since the final Taskforce report was released in June 2021, there has been little progress made on implementing the recommendations. RANZCR has attempted to engage with the Government on the recommendations and is keen to assist. In the meantime, while we wait the health and wellbeing of workers is being compromised.
RANZCR believes that a strategic national approach to silicosis is imperative and welcomes the outcomes of the Workplace Health and Safety Ministers meeting which committed to addressing stronger rules for workplaces and for further consultation on a ban on engineered stone. This is a first step in a coordinated national effort to combatting this insidious disease.
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RANZCR President, Clin A/Prof Sanjay Jeganathan said, “addressing the health issues for at risk workers and those with silicosis has been talked about and pushed into the background for long enough. We need the government to take action now to fully implement the recommendations of the Taskforce and prevent workers from falling victim to this insidious disease”.
Source: RANZCR
