URGENT MESSAGE TO ALL BLF MEMBERS
HAVE YOU BEEN EXPOSED TO ASBESTOS IN THE PAST?
YOU NEED TO ACT NOW!
Workers in the construction industry are people in the highest risk category for developing mesothelioma, an aggressive form of terminal cancer of the cells that make up the lining around the outside of the lungs and inside of the ribs, or the cells around the abdominal organs. It is caused by exposure to asbestos fibres. Lesser diseases caused by asbestos are lung cancer, asbestosis, pleural plaques and gastro-intestinal cancers. Other high risk areas of work are mining and manufacture of asbestos, shipbuilding, railway carriage construction and the power industry.
It is impossible to list all of the products that have, at one time or another, contained asbestos. However, what is common to many asbestos-containing products is that they were used to retain heat, for example as thermal insulation, because of the fire-resistant mineral properties of asbestos.
Some of the more common asbestos-containing products are pipe-covering, insulating cement, insulating block, asbestos cloth, gaskets, packing materials, thermal seals, refractory and boiler insulation materials, transite board, asbestos cement pipe, fireproofing spray, joint compound, vinyl floor tile, ceiling tile, mastics, adhesives, coatings, acoustical textures, duct insulation for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, roofing products, insulated electrical wire and panels, and brake and clutch assemblies. Some of these products contained a very high proportion of asbestos, while others contained only small amounts.
Asbestos and the construction industry in the past and today
In the past, it was not widely known that asbestos was a highly dangerous substance and workers were in constant contact with this deadly material. Asbestos manufacturers knew about the hazards of asbestos as early as seventy years ago, but they kept this knowledge to themselves because it suited their profit margins.
The first warnings to workers exposed to asbestos were given in the mid-1960s, but these messages were completely inadequate. The use of asbestos was probably at its highest in the mid to late 70s, but asbestos cement products like asbestos flues and water pipes were still being installed as late as the 1990s. Asbestos use in brake linings and pads and clutch plates has only recently been phased out.
Only since 31 December 2003, have all asbestos and all products containing asbestos been banned Australia-wide.
This ban does not extend to existing use of asbestos-containing products such as vinyl floor tiles and asbestos cement (AC) roofing or sheeting. These products can be left in place until they need to be replaced. So, even today, workers in the building trades, such as labourers, plumbers, carpenters and electricians, could still be exposed to asbestos. This will happen if they work on materials that contain asbestos in such a way that fibres are released into the air: for example, when using power tools. When the asbestos fibres become airborne, people working with the material may inhale the particles into their lungs. They remain there, as the human body is incapable of breaking down the particles. A person's chance of developing asbestos-related disease depends on how much asbestos they were exposed to and for how long.
Asbestos is so toxic that even the families of workers handling asbestos may have been exposed to asbestos fibres that have been brought home and shaken out of the workers' clothing before going into the washing machine.
We need you to spread the word. If you are reading this article, you can spread the word by telling your workmates about it or letting them know what to do if they think they might have been exposed to asbestos.
Register your exposure on the national asbestos database
The BLF is working with Maurice Blackman Cashman lawyers to help workers who may have been exposed to asbestos. This law firm has established a national database to register the details of workers who have been exposed in the event that they should need to seek compensation for illness for themselves or their families in the future.
Registration is a free service.
The purpose of the database is to keep in touch with those who have been exposed by keeping them informed of their rights and providing them with legal advice should they be diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease in the future.
If in the unfortunate case that you contract a disease caused by exposure to asbestos, if you keep up to date with this information you will be better positioned to bring a lawsuit for compensation against a former employer or materials supply company that might be proved negligent regarding the handling of asbestos.
The process is simple. You need to register your exposure to asbestos for the national database by making contact with any one of the below:
Phone: 1800 810 812
Email: mail@mbc.aus.net
Please visit your family doctor if you are concerned about your state of health because of a possible exposure to asbestos.
James Hardie Campaign
An inquiry into James Hardie Industries has found the company broke the corporations law and misled the public when it claimed it had put aside enough money to meet its asbestos liabilities, which could now total $2.24 billion. Click on
the full story to find out more about the inquiries findings.
Join the campaign to help victims of asbestos gain their full compensation. Don't let James Hardie get away with it.
Download the
Fact Sheet to distribute around workplaces and on worksites.
Complete a
Workplace motion and post it back to the BLF (366 Upper Roma St Brisbane Qld 4000) or fax to 07 3236 2138, and we will ensure that Jamies Hardie gets the message.
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