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Toiling on a construction site or in a mine apart can result in a deadly lung disease that a new parliamentary report is urging the NSW government to take seriously.
Found in soil, sand and granite across many industries, silica dust is small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and cause irreversible damage known as silicosis.
Even though fatal at times, it is preventable if health and safety measures are adequately implemented, according to the review of the Dust Diseases Scheme.
The report, released on Friday, made 12 recommendations including for the government to introduce a licensing scheme to ensure manufactured stone businesses have strict controls for working with a potentially dangerous substance.
The report also called for a more rigorous regime of random on-site inspections where manufactured stone is being installed.
The committee further noted an outright ban on manufactured stone should be instituted if no significant industry improvements are made in the next two years.
The Dust Diseases Scheme is currently paying about $120 million in entitlements to workers and dependants each year.
There are about 1300 workers currently in the scheme, with around 300 new cases each year.
The report noted participants in the inquiry were "underwhelmed by the government's response" to the recommendations of a 2019 review of the scheme.
About 15 per cent of cases of lung cancer could be prevented if asbestos, silica, diesel exhaust and welding fume exposure were reduced in workplaces, the Australian Council of Trades Union said on Friday.
The Australian Workers' Union estimates 600,000 Australian workers are currently exposed to silica dust from tunnelling, quarrying, cement work to mining and construction.
The AWU warned earlier this year that "a tsunami of silicosis" would be recorded in coming years if preventative measures are not enforced by governments.
© AAP 2022
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More than 1,500 fee-free training places are up for grabs as part of the NSW Government’s Winter Skills program, which aims to get people skilled for a bumper winter tourism and hospitality season.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said in-demand short courses would be on offer across parts of regional NSW to help people gain on-the-job experience while supporting local industries.
“The NSW Government has consulted with local businesses and industry groups to identify the key skills needed this winter season,” Mr Toole said.
“So whether it’s learning how to be a tour guide, pouring a beer at a pub, making a coffee at a local cafe, or lending a hand across the wine regions, regional NSW is keen to have you.”
Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens said the program will train people to work in the ski industry and related hospitality roles, bar tenders, wait staff and more, to help businesses meet demand for workers.
“NSW’s winter getaway destinations will be packed with people this season, so now is the perfect time for people looking to get skilled and work in some of the most beautiful places in our state.
“Following the success of the Winter Skills campaign last year, the program has been expanded to include the Snowy Mountains, Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands, Hunter Valley and the Central West,” Mr Henskens said
Some of the courses available include Food Safety Supervision, Statement of Attainment in Hospitality, Statement of Attainment in Outdoor Recreation and Statement of Attainment in Public Safety.
Minister for Hospitality and Racing Kevin Anderson said the State’s pubs, clubs, restaurants, bars and other hospitality businesses have been impacted over the past few years.
“From Perisher to Thredbo to villages packed with fireplace warmed restaurant and cellar doors, we want to make sure our hospitality venues continue to be the lifeblood for local communities,” Mr Anderson said.
“This initiative will ensure our local hospitality businesses have access to a pipeline of skilled and job-ready workers, helping address industry needs and skills shortages as a result of the pandemic and the gradual re-emergence of international travel.”
For more information and to enrol in courses, visit https://skills.education.nsw.gov.au/initiatives/winter-skills
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Health Services Union paramedics are celebrating a historic victory with the NSW Government today announcing it will recruit more than 2000 additional ambos to bolster the ranks of a fatigued and overworked ambulance service.
The Union has pushed for the extra positions for the past five years, taking serious industrial action on multiple occasions, pressing the case to politicians on Macquarie Street, and continually highlighting the community impact of short staffing in the media.
It’s expected 1850 of the new positions will be paramedics with a further 300 ambulance support positions. Today’s announcement builds on the 750 additional paramedics the HSU won in 2018.
HSU NSW Secretary, Gerard Hayes, said paramedics would now continue to campaign for decent wages that reflect the contribution and professionalism of paramedics.
“This is a historic win and every HSU paramedic who stood up when it counted deserves recognition. Our paramedics have been consistently under-resourced and it has impacted the community,” Mr Hayes said.
“We commend the Premier for listening to our concerns and making this commitment.
“Even before he was premier, Mr Perrottet took the time to listen to paramedics and understand their issues. More than 2000 additional ambos is the largest boost in the history of the ambulance service and will certainly improve patient outcomes
“For too long, paramedics have worked themselves to the bone to protect the community. This announcement will allow them to deliver even better care to the community while also protecting their own health and wellbeing.
“Extra positions are of course only half the battle. We still need to professionalise the pay of NSW paramedics who remain the lowest paid in the country.
“The Premier is making the right noises on this issue by committing to a professional pay taskforce. However our hope and expectation is that the budget will contain a pay rise that reflects both the surging cost of living and the extraordinary productivity of our paramedics.
“A modern ambo can deliver emergency medicine that not only keeps a patient alive but drastically reduces their stay in hospital. That’s a massive saving for taxpayers yet paramedic wages simply don’t reflect this reality.
“Without a serious pay rise it will be hard to recruit and retain the extra paramedics announced today. We will continue to press for fair pay.”
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