Free asbestos testing Tasmania

Date: 16 May 2009

The Australian Worker' Union is urging people to take up the offer of a free health screening program if they ever worked at the Goliath Portland Cement Company in Railton, Tasmania.

"If you were employed at the plant between 1947 and 1986 you may have been exposed to asbestos fibres while the asbestos factory was in operation," AWU Tasmania Secretary, Ian Wakefield , says.

Ian Wakefield said that advertisements telling former workers about the health screening program will be placed, at first, this week in all Tasmanian newspapers.

Union works with Cement Australia on asbestos health screening program

" At a later stage the ads will also go into national media because some of the approximately 3000 people that may have worked at the former asbestos plant have moved to other parts of Australia.

" The health screening program - a joint program of the AWU and Cement Australia - is the latest stage of a ground-breaking joint project," Ian Wakefield said.

The AWU Secretary urged people who may know the whereabouts of former Railton cement plant workers - either in Tasmania or other parts of Australia - to download the advertisement from this website, and let them know about this new health screening program - as soon as possible.

Significant rehab program removing asbestos from work site

Tasmania's Railton cement plant housed a factory that produced asbestos cement products from 1947 to 1986 at the then Goliath Cement Company.

Since taking over the plant, Cement Australia has undertaken a significant site rehabilitation program, spending over $5 million to remove asbestos containing materials and improve awareness of where asbestos containing materials may have been located in the past.

Advertisements inform former workers

The advertisements will inform past employees that they will have the opportunity to have a free Lung Function Test and Chest X-ray.

The advertisements say:

" The purpose of these tests is for you to be aware of your lung health and in particular, to determine if you exhibit any effect from asbestos exposure.

" These tests are at no cost to you and Cement Australia will coordinate all appointments for you by qualified medical specialists. The results will then be sent to Cement Australia for distribution to your own nominated GP.

" The overall results from this project may also be used as part of an independent medical study specifically designed to assess asbestos and asbestos-related lung disease in those people who worked at the Railton Cement Works.

" Please call Geoff Currie on our toll free number 1800 355 231 or email Geoff.Currie@cemaust.com.au for further information or to register your interest.

" We often experience a high volume of calls in peak periods, if you are diverted to a message bank, please leave your details including name and phone number and Geoff will return your call as soon as he can."

Read earlier Tasmanian AWU reports about the union push for an asbestos study

• State needs asbestos program to create jobs and do something for our environment

• Asbestos study: A joint Cement Australia and AWU project commences

• Unions congratulate AWU & Cement Australia on groundbreaking project

• Groundbreaking asbestos project takes off

For further information

Contact:	Ian Wakefield, Secretary
Union:	AWU Tasmania
WWW:	http://www.awu.net.au/

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