The Crisis: Thirteen workers on the M6 tunnel construction project in Sydney have been diagnosed with silicosis, a deadly and incurable lung disease, representing one of the largest single-project silicosis incidents in recent Australian history OHS RepsBuild Australia.
Government Response
The NSW Government has established a taskforce to address the risks of silica dust exposure among underground workers in Sydney’s major tunnel projects, announcing new health monitoring protocols Silicosis Risks in Sydney’s M6 Tunnel Project. SafeWork NSW has confirmed that 13 tunnel workers across multiple sites have developed silicosis following occupational silica exposure, and a silica compliance taskforce has been established to investigate the circumstances and prevent further cases Silicosis Risks in Sydney’s M6 Tunnel Project.
Free Lung Screening Available
The AWU and CFMEU have encouraged all members who have worked on tunnelling projects in NSW to contact icare on 1800 550 027 to organise a free lung screening THIRTEEN WORKERS ON SYDNEY TUNNEL PROJECTS DIAGNOSED WITH SILICOSIS – OHS Reps.
The Alarming Scale
Documents obtained through freedom of information laws show that one in three air quality tests during construction of Metro City & Southwest exceeded the Workplace Exposure Standard, some by 208 times Secret documents show silicosis ‘tsunami’ coming for metro tunnellers – The Australian Workers’ Union : The Australian Workers’ Union. The Hawkesbury Sandstone under Sydney is around 85% silica content, making it extremely dangerous because of the very high concentrations of silica dust Secret documents show silicosis ‘tsunami’ coming for metro tunnellers – The Australian Workers’ Union : The Australian Workers’ Union.
Future Risk Projections
Research reveals a grim outlook: In a group of around 2,000 workers involved in Queensland tunnel projects, an estimated 200 to 300 would develop silicosis over their lifetime as a result of silica dust exposure, roughly one in every ten workers 1 in 10 tunnel workers could develop silicosis. The projected rate of silicosis, 10%, is the same as the rate recorded by a government inquiry in 1924 which investigated silicosis among workers who built Sydney’s sewers 1 in 10 tunnel workers could develop silicosis.
What Workers Need to Know
Workers are encouraged to know their rights, report unsafe conditions, participate in health screening and consult their GP if experiencing symptoms Silicosis Risks in Sydney’s M6 Tunnel Project. Silicosis is entirely preventable, making this outbreak particularly troubling for worker safety advocates.
