Frequently asked questions
You can find a specialist occupational and environmental medicine physician through the Australia and New Zealand Society of Occupational Medicine.
What do occupational and environmental medicine physicians and respiratory medicine physicians do?
- Occupational and environmental medicine physicians are workplace health experts, promoting safe and healthy work. They work with both employers and workers to prevent, diagnose and manage workplace health issues.
- Respiratory medicine physicians are specialists in lung diseases and related conditions.
What can States and Territories do?
- Seek expert guidance and implement localised versions of the National Dust Diseases Taskforce recommendations.
- Ensure workplaces are encouraged to involve specialist occupational and environmental physicians in hazard controls and health surveillance for at risk workers.
What can employers do?
- Refer to Safe Work Australia and local Safe Work website for your State or Territory.
- Make efforts to reduce exposure to all dusts when working with artificial stone and other silica containing materials.
- Implement and record independent assessments of personal workplace respirable crystalline silica dust levels.
- Arrange regular medical assessments for at risk workers as required under the various OHS regulations in each State and Territory.
What can employees and contractors do?
- Employees and contractors concerned about exposure to silica dust should seek specialist medical advice.
- Get expert advice from a specialist occupational and environmental medicine physician or a respiratory physician.