Recommendations
Chapter 3
Recommendation 1
3.59 That
the Australian Safety and Compensation Council review the National Data Action
Plan to ensure that reliable data on disease related to exposure to toxic dust
is readily available.
Recommendation 2
3.60 That
the Australian Safety and Compensation Council extend the Surveillance of
Australian Work-Based Respiratory Events (SABRE) program Australia-wide and
that the program provide for mandatory reporting of occupational lung disease
to improve the collection of data on dust-related disease.
Chapter 4
Recommendation 3
4.34 That
the Australian Safety and Compensation Council, in conjunction with the Heads
of Workplace Safety Authorities, consider mechanisms to improve health
surveillance of employees, particularly those exposed to toxic dust.
Recommendation 4
4.35 That
the Australian Safety and Compensation Council promote the dissemination of
information concerning the health effects of exposure to toxic dust to the
medical profession.
Recommendation 5
4.36 That
the Australian Safety and Compensation Council examine the need for
improvements in testing regimes for lung disease associated with exposure to
toxic dust including the training of those conducting tests and equipment
requirements.
Chapter 5
Recommendation 6
5.86 That
the Australian Safety and Compensation Council undertake a national campaign to
raise awareness of the hazards associated with toxic dust.
Recommendation 7
5.87 That
the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations raise with the Workplace
Relations Ministers' Council the need to ensure enforcement of hazardous
substance regulations and the need to enact nationally consistent standards in
a more timely manner.
Recommendation 8
5.88 That
the Australian Safety and Compensation Council, in conjunction with the Heads
of Workplace Safety Authorities, consider mechanisms to increase the number of
occupational hygienists being trained and employed by regulators.
Chapter 6
Recommendation 9
6.31 That
State and Territory Governments move as soon as possible to set up nationally
consistent identification, assessment and compensation mechanisms for persons
affected by workplace related exposure to toxic dust and their families to at
least the current New
South Wales
standard.
Recommendation 10
6.32 That
the State and Territory Governments use the New South Wales Workers' Compensation (Dust Diseases Act)
1942 as the model for this mechanism.
Recommendation 11
6.33 That
the State and Territory Governments, other than New South Wales, move as soon
as possible to adopt the approach of New South Wales to remove statutes of
limitation that restrict legal proceedings for claims for personal injuries
resulting from exposure to toxic dust.
Chapter 7
Recommendation 12
7.84 That
the National Nanotechnology Strategy be finalised as a matter of priority.
Recommendation 13
7.85 That
a working party on nanotechnology regulation consisting of representatives of
the Therapeutic Goods Administration, NICNAS and the Australian Safety and
Compensation Council be established to consider the impact of the emerging
field of nanotechnology on the regulatory framework including:
- whether existing regulations are appropriate;
- how gaps and uncertainties in the regulatory framework can be addressed;
- how comprehensive management of risks of exposure to nanoparticles can be
incorporated into the regulatory framework;
- whether Australia will require materials, already classified as safe at
the macroscale, to be reassessed if they are to be used at the nanoscale; and
- whether there is a need for the establishment of a permanent body to
regulate nanotechnology.
The working party should consult with stakeholders including consumer
groups, State and Territory governments, unions, industry, health organisations
and the public and provide a public report on these issues by March 2007.
Recommendation 14
7.86 That
Commonwealth agencies including the Office of the Australian Safety and
Compensation Council and NICNAS actively pursue links to overseas regulatory
and research bodies to ensure that they are kept fully informed of developments
in the rapidly emerging field of nanotechnology.
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