Workplace-related diseases on the rise

While statistics tend to focus on occupational injuries for the most part, there is an increasing need to hone in on illnesses and diseases arising from the workplace. This is especially true in light of the resurgence in coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) and the health implications from asbestos exposure in the workplace.

Safe Work Australia reported 107,355 serious workers compensation claims in 2014–15, with 10% of these attributed to workplace diseases. Meanwhile, the total cost of occupational disease in Australia for 2012–13 was placed at $33.5 billion.

However, it is difficult to gauge the true number of workers affected by occupational diseases, particularly those suffering from CWP, or black lung disease.

In Australia, there is no mandatory reporting system and no national data on the prevalence of this disease. As of October 2017, WorkCover Queensland data suggests that there were 54 confirmed cases of CWP among both former and current mine workers in Queensland. The prevalence of CWP also varies considerably between countries — in the United States, the United Mine Workers Union estimates that 1500 people die every year from black lung disease.

A narrative review published in the Medical Journal of Australia also notes that very little information is collected about cases of occupational lung diseases in Australia generally. While the Australian Mesothelioma Registry collects data regarding mesothelioma, minimal systematic data collection is undertaken for diseases such as work-related asthma, asbestos-related lung diseases and occupational lung cancer.

Occupational and environmental physician Dr Peter Jezukaitis has treated a wide range of occupational diseases, many of them related to respiratory problems caused by conditions in the workplace.

“Common workplace health conditions I encounter include heat-related illnesses, noise-related hearing loss in manufacturing and construction, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow from repetitive work such as wiring, assembly work, electronics manufacturing, tradesmen and respiratory issues from inhalation of chemicals,” said Dr Jezukaitis.

“While there has been a decrease in contact dermatitis and occupational cancer, there has been no decrease in mental disorders or noise related illnesses. It’s important to collect data to track these illnesses nationally, particularly with the case of black lung in Queensland.”

Meanwhile, the construction industry is also at risk for developing occupational lung diseases, with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures from the United Kingdom stating that lung disease linked to exposure to chemicals and dust results in 12,000 deaths per year. An estimated 400,000 working days are also lost to breathing and lung problems.

“Prevention strategies are needed to reduce risk in the workplace. These relate particularly to physical and chemical exposures. The other importance is to detect it early — early removal of triggers is associated with recovery,” said Dr Jezukaitis.

Asbestos still causing problems

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that around 125 million people worldwide are exposed to asbestos in the workplace, with approximately half of the deaths from occupational cancer thought to be caused by asbestos. According to Safe Work Australia, asbestos-related diseases are responsible for an increasing number of deaths in Australia as well. In 2011, 606 deaths were caused by mesothelioma and 125 deaths were caused by asbestosis. The number of deaths caused by lung cancer and other diseases possibly related to asbestos exposure remains unknown.

Despite the inherent risk of exposure to asbestos in the workplace, there are still multiple cases in Australia where businesses and employers have been accused of putting the health of their workers in danger.

A Darwin-based manufacturing and building company was recently charged with five breaches of the work health and safety legislation for illegal asbestos removal work.

It was alleged by NT WorkSafe that in October and November of 2015, the company was contracted to refurbish three properties and allowed unlicensed workers to remove asbestos from two of the properties without training or appropriate safety equipment, despite knowing the properties contained asbestos.

Staff at Alice Springs Hospital were exposed to asbestos fibres when an air-conditioning installation was carried out. The Pathology Building was shut down once the particles were detected, while the Department of Health engaged a licensed asbestos removalist to assess the problem and develop a remediation plan. The CFMEU has called on the NT Government to extend the Public Health and Environment Act and Regulations to specifically address asbestos, stating that there is an ever-growing issue with asbestos in the Northern Territory.

According to Michael Borowick, Assistant Secretary at the Australian Council of Trade Unions, governments should be leading the way when it comes to the eradication of asbestos in building materials and the built environment. 

“Victoria has a program to eradicate asbestos from its schools, and other states need to follow their example,” he said.

“Education and eradication are both of equal importance — we need to see the same kind of awareness of asbestos as there is for cancer in this country.”

As it currently stands, Borowick believes that simply not enough is being done to protect workers from illnesses caused by asbestos.

“If workers are continually being exposed to asbestos, then employers are not doing enough to keep them safe. The asbestos ban of 2003 has just been a ban on paper rather than a ban in reality — people can still import asbestos into Australia with no real penalty,” he said. 

“The Australian Border Force has not even really looked for asbestos in imports coming to the country. There have only been three prosecutions since the ban came into force on 1 January 2004, so clearly the penalty regime is flawed.”

In an effort to keep workers safe, Safe Work Australia has developed two model codes of practice that provide practical guidance for those conducting a business or undertaking that involves asbestos in the workplace — ‘How to Safely Remove Asbestos’ and ‘How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace’.

While greater awareness is developing with regards to the dangers of asbestos, Dr Jezukaitis believes that there is currently not enough general awareness about the triggers for workplace diseases and illnesses.“The time it takes from exposure to when the disease develops can be long. Because it takes time for diseases to develop, triggers fail to be identified and there is nothing to prompt modification of the work environment,” he said.

“There is a need for better occupational health literacy so people know how to perform jobs safely and assess the risks involved, especially with regard to physical and chemical safety. Both employers and employees would benefit from better education and resources.”

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