[Greens-Media] Media release: Thousands of manufactured stone workers have health scans that miss 40% of silicosis cases

[David Shoebridge]

Media release: Thousands of manufactured stone workers have health scans that miss 40% of silicosis cases

15 October 2019

Over 6500 workers, mainly from the the manufactured stone industry, have had their lungs tested for silicosis using technology that fails to diagnoses almost half of all silicosis cases, according to the most recent advice from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR).

In NSW the key dust disease agency iCare uses x-rays rather than low dose CT scans to test worker's lung capacity which, according to the RANZCR guidelines issued on Friday<https://www.ranzcr.com/whats-on/news-media/350-media-release-ranzcr-unveils-guidelines-for-the-diagnosis-and-monitoring-of-silicosis-1>, miss 40% of silicosis cases.

Over the past two years the New South Wales government has been conducting lung tests on workers exposed to dust from manufactured stone. Workers are highly likely to develop silicosis as a result of exposure to the dust created from both wet and dry cutting.


Greens MP David Shoebridge said:



“There have been over 6,500 workers screened for silicosis using x-rays and this screening has missed almost half of the silicosis cases.



“Silicosis from the dust created by cutting manufactured stone can be particularly aggressive, striking down workers in their 20’s and 30’s.



“We now have the clearest possible evidence that lung screening needs to move immediately from x-rays to low dose CT scans to ensure not a single case is undiagnosed.



“We have known for some time that x-rays are a substandard diagnostic tool, but the state government has refused to invest in the mobile CT-technology on its much publicised lung bus.



“As soon as the CT technology is installed there needs to be a comprehensive effort to retest the thousands of workers already on the system, and that testing needs to be free of charge.



“There can’t be any more delay or any more excuses, there are literally hundreds of lives at risk,” Mr Shoebridge

Media contact: 9230 3030 or 0408 113 952

--

David Shoebridge

David Shoebridge