BRANCH
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QLD
SOUNDING THE ALARM ON DEADLY DUST The RTBU has sounded the alarm for Queensland rail infrastructure workers who are being routinely exposed to life-threatening dust hazards. Queensland State President and Central District Organiser Bruce Mackie says the union’s state office was informed recently that Aurizon has for some time been allowing workers to be exposed to dangerous levels of silica and coal dust while working on track.
Caused by coal dust, it can severely damage your lungs and, by extension, your heart.
When breathed in, silica dust enters the lungs, where it gets stuck and causes microscopic scaring to sensitive lung tissues.
Now, due to the massive tonnages of coal being moved on the state’s rail network, it is a potential hazard to rail workers.
The condition, silicosis, has been dubbed the new asbestosis. And like asbestosis, there is no effective medical treatment, with silicosis leading to ever-decreasing breathing ability, cancer and an early death. There have been cases where people exposed to dangerous levels of silica dust have become terminally ill after only two years, but it can also kill decades later. “Silica dust comes from quartz-containing materials,” Bruce said. “Think kitchen benchtops and, more importantly to RTBU members, rail ballast. “When these stones are disturbed or broken they release dust that contains very fine and microscopic pieces of quartz. “That is silica dust and it can be deadly.” The RTBU is also concerned about a similar dust-borne danger, coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, or Black Lung.
Once a common hazard among miners, Black Lung was thought to have been eradicated decades ago but began reappearing in Australia in 2015.
“Over a long period coal dust can build up in your lungs, causing damage to the sensitive branches in your lungs that provide oxygen to your blood supply,” Bruce said. “It works in a similar way to silica dust, slowly killing its victims. There is no cure for Black Lung, only treatments to ease, but not stop, the negative health effects.”
You have a right under the WHS Act to refuse to work in conditions where the danger of harmful dust is present
The RTBU is talking to Queensland Rail and Aurizon on how to deal with the dust issue and will update members as the matter progresses. Meantime, workers can refuse to work in a site that risks exposure. “You have a right under the WHS Act to refuse to work in conditions where the danger of harmful dust is present (or will be present) and there are not adequate controls in place to protect you from dust exposure,” Bruce said. Bruce said that before members exercised these rights, they should contact their workgroup health and safety representative and RTBU Workplace Delegate and tell them what is going on. But if members can’t contact their WHS Repesentative or Workplace Delegate, they can call Bruce on, 0420 941 663, or RTBU WHS Officer Lucas Kennedy on 0430 146 956. Members and ex-members who have ever been exposed to ballast dust should also register with the Maurice Blackburn Lawyers Dust Exposure Registry online at https://my.mauriceblackburn.com.au/exposure-register/ home This will protect your legal interests to sue Aurizon or Queensland Rail should the worst happen and you fall ill now or in future due to workplace silica or coal dust exposure.
RTBU TRANSPORT NOW OCTOBER 2021 17
