Greens NSW MP and spokesperson for Fair Trading and Better Regulation, Abigail Boyd, is calling on the NSW Government to support a ban on manufactured stone and immediately step up workplace enforcement to prevent silica exposure for workers in NSW.
As stated by Abigail Boyd, Greens NSW MP and spokesperson for Fair Trading and Better Regulation:
“The explosion of silicosis cases in our workforce is a tragedy, and is made all the more tragic by how preventable it was. A failure of safety standards and regulation has left workers exposed to dangerous workplace conditions, with inadequate monitoring and support,” Abigail said.
“The health and safety regulators, SafeWork in NSW, have had a completely hands off approach to the management and containment of this disease. Lives could have been saved if standards were imposed and enforced.
“The Greens have been leading the call for an urgent ban on manufactured stone in NSW for years.
“As the Greens spokesperson for Fair Trading and Better Regulation I am writing to Minister Dominello today urging him to support the call for a ban on manufactured stone at next week’s meeting of State and Territory Ministers, and to ensure that the ongoing review into addressing the failures of SafeWork has a focus on increasing enforcement and compliance of unacceptably high silica exposure on worksites.
“A national plan is needed to protect workers across the country, but it’s ultimately not necessary. Victoria has already made moves towards better regulating and protecting against silicosis. There is no reason NSW can’t do the same thing. The Greens are urging the NSW Government to move immediately and use every element of its regulatory power to contain this unacceptable threat.
“We are in the middle of a supposed housing and apartment construction boom. Many of these new dwellings will have manufactured stone, which will need to be cut to size onsite. This presents an unacceptable risk to workers.
“Banning manufactured stone won’t solve the issue of silicosis. Workers in tunnels and in the mines are also being exposed at unacceptably high levels.
“These workers will continue to be endangered without a significant reform to the workers compensation and health and safety landscape towards a regime that puts the health and well-being of workers first and foremost, rather than tip-toeing around the profit incentives of property developers and political mega-donors,” Abigail Boyd said.
