respiratory

Work health and safety ministers have agreed to reduce the workplace exposure standards for respirable crystalline silica as soon as practicable.

Miners suffer from an increased decline in lung function every year compared to the general population, despite measured concentrates of dust and gases such as silica and diesel exhaust at below occupational standards.

There’s a way to avoid being harmed by mine dust including crystalline silica on the east coast and asbestos fibres on the west coast. Breathesafe director Nicholas Johnstone tells Safe to Work about the solution.

Bushfires are part of life in Australia. These fires can produce vast amounts of smoke, off-gases and ash and there is a need to consider the most appropriate ways of providing respiratory protection for those exposed to these contaminants.

A dust diseases clinic is now open on Pitt Street to provide medical access for NSW workers impacted by exposure to hazardous materials such as asbestos and silica.

Checking that a respirator, with a tight fitting facepiece, provides an adequate seal to the wearer’s face has long been considered best practice as part of a general respiratory protection program. This tech update contains information on some methods of fit testing and some solutions from 3M to support a fit testing regime.