Asbestos Legislation

Australia recently took a significant step towards protecting workers from the dangers of asbestos exposure, ratifying the International Labour Organization Convention No. 162 Concerning Safety in the Use of Asbestos.

According to a release, Chris Evans, Australia's minister for tertiary education, skills, jobs and workplace relations, and Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd made the announcement that Australia has taken the final steps towards ratifying the convention.

The convention is reportedly designed to require Australian states to pass regulations to protect workers against occupational asbestos exposure.

Rudd explained that the decision by Australia to ratify the convention could spur other nearby countries to take similar action.

"Asia still accounts for over 60 percent of the world’s imports of asbestos, and unfortunately, dangers to human health posed by the unsafe use of asbestos in the workplace are not yet well recognized in our region," Rudd said. "The government is determined to work with regional countries to help eliminate the threat to human health from asbestos."

According to the release, Rudd also ratified a number of protocols, which will require part-time employees to receive the same protection from hazards as full-time workers and mandate that employers notify officials of all instances of diseases resulting from workplace exposure including asbestosis, lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma.