Media release – United Firefighters Union, 23 March 2023
INTERNATIONAL EXPERT JOINS TASMANIAN PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS IN CALL FOR GREATER CANCER PROTECTION
Tasmanian Professional firefighters have been joined by international presumptive cancer legislation expert Alex Forrest in their calls on the Rockliff Government to expand cancer protection.
Visiting Tasmania for the second time, Mr Alex Forrest is a highly decorated and experienced Captain with the Winnipeg Fire Department in Canada and a Trustee of the International Association of Firefighters, representing firefighters at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) meetings.
He will join United Firefighters Union National President Leigh Hills and UFUA to meet Tasmanian MPs on Thursday, 23 March, to ask them to expand the number of cancers covered under presumptive legislation from 12 to 20 in line with recent legislation in the Australian Parliament.
Mr Hills said it was critical that the Tasmanian Government put in these additional measures to protect the health and welfare of Tasmania’s professional firefighters.
“Every day through the course of their work, professional firefighters are exposed to deadly toxins in smoke from structure and vehicle fires which are hazardous to their health. “Presumptive legislation recognises the cancer risks of firefighting and provides that if a firefighter suffers from cancer, it is, subject to qualifying periods, presumed to have been contracted at work.
“But currently, Tasmanian firefighters are only covered for 12 types of cancer are covered under state law.
“Professional firefighters are calling on the Tasmanian Parliament to add thyroid, pancreatic, skin, cervical, ovarian, penile and lung cancer, and malignant mesothelioma to the list of cancers covered in presumption legislation to protect firefighters.
“The addition of these eight additional cancers is especially important in protecting women, who are increasingly choosing to become firefighters in ever-growing numbers. International presumptive cancer legislation expert Alex Forrest reiterated the union’s call for greater protections for firefighters.
“Australia’s Federal Parliament has recently expanded the number of cancers covered under presumptive legislation from 12 to 20, making Australia a world leader in this field of legislation.
“But Australian territories and states like Tasmania now have to bring their laws in line with the Australian Parliament to deliver firefig
hters with the protection they deserve.
“That’s why I’m joining the United Firefighters Union in their meetings with Tasmanian politicians to urge them to deliver these critical protections for professional firefighters.”
In July 2022, Mr Forrest was instrumental in delivering the World Health Organization’s decision to officially declare firefighting cancer-causing profession, a decision which had significant implications for protecting firefighters from cancer in Australia and worldwide.
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