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• What are the OHS risks?
• Employer responsibilities

Asbestos was used in a wide range of industries, materials and products as it can be woven into fabric, has excellent insulation properties and is chemically inert. As knowledge of the health dangers increased the use of asbestos has been progressively prohibited, with use, apart from very limited exceptions, now being banned throughout Australia.  

Asbestos dust or fibres that are inhaled can cause scarring (fibrosis), infection (effusion) or interaction with the person's immune system (attempted ingestion by macrophages) leading to genetic damage with resulting carcinomas. Inhalation of asbestos dust or fibres may occur from handling asbestos or materials containing asbestos without wearing a respirator, face mask or other personal protective equipment. Some people appear more susceptible to asbestos-related conditions than others with similar exposures.  

The Asbestos-related Claims (Management of Commonwealth Liabilities) Act 2005 defines an asbestos-related condition as asbestosis, an asbestos-induced carcinoma, an asbestos-related non-malignant pleural disease, mesothelioma or any other condition caused by inhaling asbestos dust or fibres.

• Asbestosis is a chronic and progressive lung disease of varying intensity in which scarring (fibrosis) of the lung tissue by asbestos dust and fibres restricts lung function.
• The most common asbestos-induced carcinoma is lung cancer, with tobacco usage frequently being a significant contributing factor.
• The asbestos-related non-malignant conditions include pleural plaques, pleural effusion and diffuse pleural thickening; which can but usually do not develop into malignant conditions.
• Mesothelioma is a malignant disease of the membrane tissue around the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), intestine (peritoneal mesothelium) or heart (pericardial mesothelium) with death occurring within a year of diagnosis.
• The definition makes provision for any further pathological condition caused by inhaling asbestos dust or fibres that may be discovered.