Latest news with #KateCole
Sydney Morning Herald
02-05-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
The law changes demanded as Sydney tunnel workers face death
Companies responsible for exposing tunnel workers to dangerous levels of deadly silica dust would face an extended window to be prosecuted under reforms demanded by unions, as a parliamentary inquiry hears concerns Australia is facing a 'full-blown occupational disease crisis'. The NSW upper house inquiry into silica heard a failure of leadership on multibillion-dollar Sydney infrastructure projects was undermining worker safety, and one occupational safety expert said contracting companies had been prioritising cost over staff wellbeing. Thousands of tunnelling workers on Sydney's mega-transport and motorway projects have been frequently exposed to deadly levels of silica dust, including 208 times the legal level. Fears of a latent public health crisis were compounded after previously confidential documents detailed how 13 staff on the M6 Stage 1 roadway had been diagnosed with silicosis, an incurable lung disease. The revelations have intensified anger with the regulator, SafeWork NSW, for failing to hold contractors to account despite companies repeatedly breaching the legal limit for deadly dust on tunnelling sites. A 2023 investigation by the Herald, The Age and 60 Minutes exposed serious health risks for tradespeople working with engineered stone, prompting bans on manufactured stone benchtops, panels and slabs containing at least 1 per cent silica. Loading The Dust Disease inquiry hearing on Friday called representatives of the nation's largest contractors, John Holland and CPB, senior bureaucrats from SafeWork and Transport for NSW, the Australian Workers Union (AWU), and occupational hygienist Kate Cole. While John Holland and CPB acknowledged errors had occurred in the past, both argued occupational protections for workers were sufficient, saying times when silica dust exceeded legal limits were caused by 'failures' or the 'absence' of safety controls. But AWU assistant national secretary Chris Donovan said tens of thousands of documents to the parliament demonstrated these companies had repeatedly failed to protect workers from silica dust, including knowing protective face masks were an insufficient protection given they needed to be removed to communicate.
The Age
02-05-2025
- Health
- The Age
The law changes demanded as Sydney tunnel workers face death
Companies responsible for exposing tunnel workers to dangerous levels of deadly silica dust would face an extended window to be prosecuted under reforms demanded by unions, as a parliamentary inquiry hears concerns Australia is facing a 'full-blown occupational disease crisis'. The NSW upper house inquiry into silica heard a failure of leadership on multibillion-dollar Sydney infrastructure projects was undermining worker safety, and one occupational safety expert said contracting companies had been prioritising cost over staff wellbeing. Thousands of tunnelling workers on Sydney's mega-transport and motorway projects have been frequently exposed to deadly levels of silica dust, including 208 times the legal level. Fears of a latent public health crisis were compounded after previously confidential documents detailed how 13 staff on the M6 Stage 1 roadway had been diagnosed with silicosis, an incurable lung disease. The revelations have intensified anger with the regulator, SafeWork NSW, for failing to hold contractors to account despite companies repeatedly breaching the legal limit for deadly dust on tunnelling sites. A 2023 investigation by the Herald, The Age and 60 Minutes exposed serious health risks for tradespeople working with engineered stone, prompting bans on manufactured stone benchtops, panels and slabs containing at least 1 per cent silica. Loading The Dust Disease inquiry hearing on Friday called representatives of the nation's largest contractors, John Holland and CPB, senior bureaucrats from SafeWork and Transport for NSW, the Australian Workers Union (AWU), and occupational hygienist Kate Cole. While John Holland and CPB acknowledged errors had occurred in the past, both argued occupational protections for workers were sufficient, saying times when silica dust exceeded legal limits were caused by 'failures' or the 'absence' of safety controls. But AWU assistant national secretary Chris Donovan said tens of thousands of documents to the parliament demonstrated these companies had repeatedly failed to protect workers from silica dust, including knowing protective face masks were an insufficient protection given they needed to be removed to communicate.
Perth Now
02-05-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
Tunnel diggers are facing a 'full-blown disease crisis'
Fine dust from massive tunnelling projects is exposing tunnellers working with heavy machinery deep underground to deadly diseases, an inquiry has been told. Silica dust exposure can lead to workers developing silicosis - an incurable, debilitating and potentially fatal disease - as well as lung cancer. Occupation hygienists and unions are worried sandstone often found in the Sydney basin and other states such as Queensland and Victoria are exposing workers to the dust at an even-higher rate than engineered stone. The majority of all tunnelling in Australia occurs in NSW. With the exception of Snowy Hydro 2.0, all tunnelling projects in NSW are funded to some extent by the state government. A review of 14 tunnel projects in the last decade has shown that workers will develop lung cancer and silicosis cases, academic Kate Cole told a parliamentary inquiry on Friday. "The data clearly shows that tunnel workers have been exposed to silica dust on NSW government-funded projects," the University of Sydney researcher told the committee. "It's evident this issue is not managed consistently across the entire NSW tunnelling industry." National legal limits in place for silica dust exposure are 0.05 milligrams per cubic metre over an eight-hour work day but she cited cases of up to 10 milligrams. Ms Cole said personal protective equipment was not enough to prevent dust particles being breathed in and more resources should be invested in high-tech ventilation equipment. Australian Workers' Union Assistant National Secretary Chris Donovan said companies needed to be held accountable for not prioritising the safety of workers and that regulation from authorities was sorely lacking. "This is not an isolated non compliance issue," the unionist told the inquiry. "It is systemic negligence by employers like John Holland and CPB, regulators and government departments unless urgent reforms are made. "This will and in fact it already has, to a degree, become a full blown occupational disease crisis."Mr Donovan said tougher enforcement by the regulator was a must. "What's the point of having an act of parliament if people who are going to breach the act are not scared of being prosecuted." CPB Contractors, which has been awarded major contracts, including the Westconnex Rozelle Interchange, M6 Motorway and Sydney Metro projects, said workers' safety was being taken seriously. "We were using PPE in 2013...(and) we are adopting real-time dust monitoring but we've got to do more work as it measures the level of dust not silica," the company's General Safety Manager Graeme Silvester told the committee. A study published earlier in April, that Ms Cole co-authored, found that it was also a national concern with one in 10 tunnel workers in Queensland potentially developing silicosis. More than 680 Victorian workers since 2018 have been affected by the disease, including 20 who died from it.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US Army bans transgender people from enlisting
(NewsNation) — The U.S. Army has banned transgender people from joining its ranks and ended gender-affirming care for service members, the military branch announced Friday. In a post on X, the official U.S. Army account said that 'all new accessions for individuals with a history of gender dysphoria are paused, and all unscheduled, scheduled, or planned medical procedures associated with affirming or facilitating a gender transition for Service members are paused.' The new policies are effective immediately, the Army's post confirmed. Judge extends order blocking DOGE from treasury systems The change comes just weeks after President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for a revision of gender policy in the military. The president said that transgender service members' identities conflict 'with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle.' The president's order points to those diagnosed with gender dysphoria, or distress felt when assigned sex and gender don't match. The U.S. Army's thread of posts point to this term as well, concluding: 'Individuals with gender dysphoria have volunteered to serve our country and will be treated with dignity and respect.' In the wake of the order, six active duty service members filed a lawsuit challenging the ban. 'I've spent more than half my life in the Army, including combat in Afghanistan,' Army Sgt. 1st Class Kate Cole told The Associated Press. 'Removing qualified transgender soldiers like me means an exodus of experienced personnel.' Foreign aid freeze temporarily lifted but damage may already be done The lawsuit is being filed by the same legal team that spent years during Trump's first administration fighting the Republican ban on transgender troops, which the Supreme Court allowed to take effect even as the legal fight against it continued in the courts. Joe Biden scrapped the ban when he took office. One of the plaintiffs, Army Capt. Gordon Herrero, said in a statement: 'There's nothing about being transgender that makes me better or worse than any other soldier I serve alongside. We are all here because we are committed to our country, and we are passionate, willing, and able to serve effectively.' According to the Associated Press, estimates place the number of transgender troops at 9,000 to 12,000, though it's hard to know for certain due to medical privacy laws. Just last week, the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Board of Governors voted to change its policy on transgender athletes. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
