Taking action to protect workers exposed to Asbestos

State Transit management has agreed to implement a program of testing members employed at the organisation during the 80s and 90s for asbestos related diseases after learning about asbestos brakes used in this period.

The union questioned State Transit about its planned response to the discovery, saying that it had to take responsibility for the impact this could have on its employees now and into the future.

The program is a good news from State Transit, but should only be the first step. The union will continue to advocate for the organisation to take appropriate actions take responsibility for work practices that put employees at risk all those years ago.

The problem is not only how asbestos was used back then, but how it is now safely removed from every part of our work environment. This cannot be put off because the risk won’t go away.

The union will now be calling for management to implement an asbestos audit committee to investigate and be responsible for looking at all work practices, buildings and prior removal of asbestos from buildings. The committee should also look at air measurements that were taken then and compare how they measure up today.