The Queensland Palaszczuk Government has announced better workplace health and safety protections for workers under changes to the Public Health Act 2005 and Public Health Regulation 2018.
Dr Anthony Lynham, Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy has announced that incidents of pneumoconiosis, silicosis and other occupational dust diseases would now be recorded on the Queensland Health Notifiable Dust Lung Disease Register.
“The health and safety of all Queenslanders is our priority, and I’m proud to see these new changes come into effect,” Dr Lynham said.
“We are now able to monitor dust lung diseases like silicosis and pneumoconiosis and identify any emerging workplace health issues.
“The register also will allow us to capture incidences of other dust lung diseases from working environments where workers are exposed to inorganic dust.
“Last September we announced $25 million over two years to deliver more reforms to protect coal workers’ health and safety.
“We will continue to deliver on our commitment to coal workers across Queensland.”
Grace Grace, the Minister for Industrial Relations Grace Grace said the reforms were evidence of the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to the health and safety of workers.
“The Palaszczuk Government has worked with industry, unions and the medical profession, and has made extensive reforms to help prevent and identify mine dust lung disease, including coal worker pneumoconiosis (CWP), and to care for affected workers and their families,” Ms Grace said.
“This includes the 2017 changes to the Workers Compensation and Rehabilitation Act that gave effect to the recommendations of the CWP Parliamentary Select Committee.
“We are also leading the way nationally in responding to and addressing silicosis in the engineered stone industry.
“Every Queensland worker has the right to safe working conditions.
“The Queensland Health Notifiable Dust Lung Disease Register provides a further layer of protection for workers and will provide government with important data on work related occupational lung disease.”