The dust from cutting engineered stone for Australian kitchens and bathrooms is killing our tradies.
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Ken Parker was a model worker,smashing out 40 benchtops a day. Now he just hopes to live long enough to see his daughter turn 18. Ken,and others like him,have silicosis,acquired from inhaling dust from the cutting of engineered stone.
Former stonemason Tim Ruttley sued Willis Bros for compensation after being bullied then sacked after his silicosis diagnosis.
One of the world’s biggest engineered stone manufacturers and a coalition of health groups have called for action from federal and state governments.
Hundreds of workers on Sydney’s vast tunnelling system are exposed to high levels of silica dust,which can cause a deadly disease.
Silicosis is the oldest occupational lung disease in the world,but there has been a surge in cases. What is it,and how big is the problem?
The ACTU and construction union is calling for engineered stone to be banned to combat the risk of silicosis as the NSW premier called for a national response.
The calls to ban engineered stone kitchen benchtops and similar building products are understandably growing louder.
State ministers back a ban on the manufactured stone commonly used in kitchen benchtops which has been shown to cause serious disease and death in tradies using it.