Victoria mesothelioma concern

The City of Geelong in Victoria has decided it is time to start working on a solution to remove asbestos from public coastal land in North Geelong, in the State of Victoria.

After receiving expert advice on the best possible solutions for removing asbestos, the council will work with the Environment Protection Authority to formulate an action plan.
These actions come after a Geelong Advertiser investigation revealed that the area has been contaminated with asbestos for at least 20 years.

It has been reported that the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), who are said to have initially owned the land, have known about the asbestos at this site for around some time. However they apparently did not take any action as they claim on every inspection of the site there was only minimal amounts of asbestos.

This public costal area is now managed by the council and they are committed to cleaning up the site and finding the best way to remove all asbestos.

The removal of asbestos from any public area is important as even minimal exposure to asbestos can lead to a person developing the cancer of mesothelioma. Victorian mesothelioma compensation claims have been brought following a person being exposed to relatively small amounts of asbestos then developing mesothelioma.

Asbestos Compensation South Australia

Mining giant BHP Billiton could be liable for punitive damages in other cases following the South Australian Supreme Court ruling in June 2012 that the company exposed certain workers to asbestos knowing of the health risks.

The decision upheld last year’s Adelaide District Court ruling, which awarded 82-year-old asbestosis sufferer William Parker $52,124.93 – plus $20,000 in punitive damages – for working in BHP’s Whyalla shipyards between 1971 and 1972.

The landmark victory is the first successful case (on appeal) under the South Australian Dust Diseases Act to award punitive damages against a company for ignoring the health hazards of asbestos exposure, (such as mesothelioma).

The majority of the Full Court of the Supreme Court of South Australia handed its decision down on Monday, saying that the risk to Mr Parker’s health was “foreseeable” and that BHP had failed to take reasonable steps in order to protect him, such as testing for asbestos or providing workers with protective marks and equipment.

The judgment stated that Mr Parker’s asbestosis was a result of “the systemic failure by BHP to make its workplace safe… by 1971 it was known that some exposure to asbestos could result in conditions which were incurable, irreversible and possibly fatal.”

The finding is expected to impact other South Australian asbestos compensation claims that are currently before the Courts, and possibly those in other Australian states such as New South Wales and Victoria, as well as future claims.

A number of years ago, the South Australian parliament enacted legislation to assist South Australia asbestos compensation claims. Since this time, many claims for asbestosis compensation and mesothelioma compensation have been made.

Asbestos in South Australia

The lower house chamber of the South Australian Parliament has been closed indefinitely after tests showed the presence of asbestos.

Workers contracted to re-paint the chamber’s ceiling discovered asbestos fibres in the paint of the 130-year-old canvas awning and also asbestos in the dust disturbed in the ceiling space, which is connected to the chamber’s air-conditioning system.

Further testing has been planned, with experts instructed to check for more asbestos and other dusts such as lead dust and also bacteria.

Speaker Lyn Breuer said yesterday that the investigation and potential removal of the asbestos could add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and a minimum time frame of six week before the chamber is safe for parliament to sit again.

Estimates Committee meetings are being moved to another part of Parliament House in Adelaide this week, with a decision on parliamentary sittings for next week to be taken later on.

Asbstos is a dangerous substance that has been known cause the rare cancer mesothelioma. Claims for mesothelioma compensation have taken place before in South Australia and also other Australian states such as New South Wales and Victoria.

South Australia has one of the highest incidences of Mesothelioma in the world. The South Australian parliament introduced specific legislation a number of years ago to assist South Australian asbestos compensation claims, such as compensation claims for Mesothelioma. South Australian Mesothelioma compensation claims are now case managed by the Court to ensure expedition of such asbestos claims.

NSW asbestos concern

Asbestos fears have risen due to a proposal to redevelop the former James Hardie site at Camellia. The German company Remondis is responsible for this proposal. They wish to build a waste management plant on the site which is near the Sydney suburb of Parramatta.

This controversial proposal to redevelop this site has sparked fears that it will bring with it asbestos related diseases. Concern has been expressed by many people about the dangers of asbestos. People are concerned about the development resulting in asbestos exposure, causing asbestos related diseases in the future, such as mesothelioma.

However Remondis have assured interested parties that protective measures will be taken to ensure asbestos dust is not liberated during construction. They are looking at implementing further measures to ensure concerns are addressed.

Many of the workers who worked at the Sydney James Hardie asbestos cement factory went on to develop asbestos conditions such as mesothelioma. There have been numerous Australian asbestos compensation claims commenced in Courts in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia as a result of James Hardie workers pursuing their asbestos compensation rights following being diagnosed with asbestos related conditions.