Occupational lung diseases

Occupational lung diseases (OLDx) span a range of acute and chronic conditions and include occupational and work exacerbated asthma, silicosis and other silica-related diseases and pneumoconioses. OLDx are priority conditions under WorkSafe ACT’s Strategic Plan 2020-2024.

Nationally, 1 in 3 Australians are affected by a chronic respiratory condition. However, it is unclear how many are caused or exacerbated by work. It is estimated that 15% of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 10-30% of lung cancers can be attributed to work.

Preventing Occupational Lung Diseases Strategy

On 17 January 2022, WorkSafe ACT launched their Strategy for Preventing Occupational Lung Diseases 2021-2023 (the Strategy).

View or download the Strategy for Preventing Occupational Lung Diseases 2021-2023 (PDF 515KB) or (DOC 2,320KB). 

The Strategy will guide the activities of WorkSafe ACT to enforce the management of exposures that may lead to OLDx in the ACT over the next three years. The Strategy also provides for targeted guidance for work-related and work exacerbated asthma, silica-related diseases and the management of welding fumes.

Objectives

The key objectives of the Strategy are:

Diagram of four objectives that say, 1. Increase awareness of managing exposures that cause OLDx, 2. Support compliance with managing exposure risks, 3. Enforce compliance in managing exposures that lead to OLDx, 4. Build WorkSafe ACT’s capability and capacity as a responsive regulator for preventing OLDx.

Priority hazards

Priority hazards for the Strategy are identified through a combination of qualitative and quantitative data, including inspections and investigations, trend analysis and stakeholder feedback.

The hazards identified for priority for this strategy include:

  • work-related and work exacerbated asthma
  • silica-related diseases
  • chemicals, dusts, gases and fumes, and
  • weather and air quality.

Evaluation

WorkSafe ACT is committed to evaluating and reporting activities in support of its Strategies. This information will be used to inform subsequent updates.

The Strategy will undergo evaluation at 12 and 24 months and a final evaluation report of activities and achievements in the first quarter of 2024.

The progress of the Strategy will be reported in WorkSafe ACT’s Annual Report 2022-25.

Resources

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