Occupational lung disease: Information for healthcare workers

An industrial or occupational disease is an illness caused by work or any pre-existing diseases that were aggravated due to work. Exposure to harmful dusts in the workplace is a significant and under-recognised cause of a number of respiratory diseases such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, asthma and more.

In this podcast from the Maurice Blackburn Occupational Diseases team, Principal Lawyer, Sally Weir, speaks with Ross Sottile about the recent legal changes around occupational lung disease, the related compensation frameworks and the important role health practitioners can play in identifying job-related causes of disease.

Helping workers with occupational lung disease

A recent study that found that 10-30% of lung cancer can be attributed to hazardous occupational exposures, but nowhere near that amount of compensation claims are being made. This is likely due to a lack of awareness of  work-related risk factors and the workers’ compensation process, making it more important than ever to talk about what legal support is available with both those affected and the medical community.

If you have worked in a high-risk industry such as mining, construction, demolition or similar where you were exposed to a toxic substance or harmful dust, our experienced asbestos, silica and occupational disease lawyers can help you to understand your options and navigate the compensation claim process.

Listen to the full conversation below.