Kate Cole OAM Certified Occupational Hygienist

The history, hazards and massive health impacts of Silicosis in Australia 

Today’s conversation shines a spotlight on silicosis – a national health crisis and a topic that has been prevalent in the media for much of 2023. 

In this episode, James sits down with Kate Cole OAM, an expert in respirable silica. As a Certified Occupational Hygienist, she provides the science behind workplace health and safety and debunks the following questions: What is crystalline silica and why is it so hazardous? With a high concentration of silica and creation of a lot of dust – why is engineered stone the ‘perfect storm’ that is seeing one in four workers facing a silica disease? What is the history of silicosis in Australia and what needs to be done to ensure that workers are not getting sick and dying from preventable occupational exposure? 

Kate shares her knowledge and experience in protecting workers from the dangers of silica dust, and discusses the blessings and frustrations of her job – and how she translates her passion into action to drive change to protect Australian workers. 

Note: As we launch today’s episode, the NSW Government has announced a 6-month campaign targeting silica dust exposure in the construction and tunnelling industry. And as at 13 December 2023, during the national meeting of Work Health and Safety ministers, the Federal Government has committed to a national ban on engineered stone to come into effect in most jurisdictions on the 1st July 2024.

You can find out more about Kate Cole and her work here.

You can find out more about the National Dust Diseases Task Force here.

To find out more about the Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute (ADDRI) and to access support, please head to https://adri.org.au/

Thank you to our Podcast Interviewer and host James O’Loghlin and Producer Rod Morri from Sydney Podcast Studios.

If you have any questions or comments, please email info@adri.org.au