Deadly upswing in NSW silicosis dust disease cases
A dramatic upswing in cases of deadly silica dust disease in NSW has prompted the government to launch a public education blitz about the dangers of working with manufactured stone.
The dust that comes from cutting silica stone, which is commonly used for kitchen benchtops, can cause potentially deadly lung disease.
State government figures revealed in Parliament on Tuesday show there were 70 new cases in the first half of this financial year which is dramatically higher than the numbers so far reported.
A record number of people working with manufactured stone have been diagnosed with silicosis in NSW.Credit:ninevms
Nine cases were reported in each of the financial years of 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2017-18. Six cases were detected in 2016-17.
The numbers started to surge in 2018-19 when 40 cases were detected and jumped to 70 in the first half of 2019-20 when 90 cases of asbestos-related diseases were reported.
Dr Nick Allsop an executive manager from the state government agency icare which oversees insurance and care in NSW said the number of silicosis cases detected this financial year represented a "large increase". He said this was related to a dramatic increase in screening.
"The good side of it is we are picking up people who previously would not have been picked up," he said.
The median age of people being diagnosed with the disease are between 50 to 60 and the youngest are in their early 20s.
Greens MP David Shoebridge described the upsurge of silicosis cases as “an epidemic that is 100 per cent preventable and it is caused by dangerous workplaces".
“This is a deeply concerning jump in the number of workers being diagnosed with a potentially terminal disease," he said.
“We need an immediate ban on dry cutting manufactured stone and a timeline to prohibit its sale in the very near future.
“If a product kills the people who work with it then it shouldn’t be available for sale especially when there are so many safe alternatives.”
Labor MP Daniel Mookhey said NSW needs a comprehensive strategy to tackle the silicosis crisis.
A $100 million has been reserved in an icare fund for workers compensation claims related to silica and other non-asbestos related diseases.
NSW Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson has been approached for comment.