How deadly dust from gold, coal, asbestos and silica plagues Australia

…In October the NSW government increased the maximum prison sentence to ten years for employers who fail to deal adequately with deadly silica dust, and increased the maximum fine from $798,000 to $2.2 million…

….Inhaling microscopic, invisible asbestos fibres can cause, among other diseases, a fatal cancer of the lining of the lungs or abdomen called mesothelioma. Its symptoms can emerge up to 50 years after exposure.

Australia still has one of the highest death rates from mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses…

It’s estimated that last year alone, 761 people died in Australia from mesothelioma.

Newcastle Rescue & Consultancy Pty Ltd offer Silica Training Courses to provide education around the specific skills and knowledge required to supervise and manage those working with products and materials that generate respirable crystalline silica (RCS).

This includes preparing for and identifying tools and equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE) and respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to be used while working with products and materials containing CS.

We offer awareness training courses for both Asbestos and Silica.

Also the Remove Non-Friable  Asbestos, Friable Asbestos and Supervise Asbestos Training courses for specific training around awareness and management. When asbestos containing materials (ACM) are present, or even suspected of being present in the workplace, where only qualified personnel are able to safely manage or remove it.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-25/asbestos-coal-gold-silica-mining-and-deadly-dust/102968642