Rebecca Le MayThe West Australian
Mon, 27 March 2023 2:51PM
The McGowan Government is being pushed to expand the list of cancers covered by streamlined firefighters workers compensation, with their union saying the existing system is “absurdly” inequitable.
The Commonwealth in 2022 broadened the number of cancers covered by “presumptive” laws from 12 to 20 but no State or Territory has yet followed suit, meaning the changes only include firefighters who work in the ACT and in aviation.
The move added malignant mesothelioma, lung, skin, cervical, ovarian, penile, pancreatic and thyroid cancer to brain, bladder, kidney, breast, testicular, prostate, ureter, colorectal and oesophageal cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukaemia and multiple myeloma. While the State Government has previously said it would add malignant mesothelioma and skin cancer to the list, the United Professional Firefighters Union wants that promise actioned and the other six cancers added.
The union’s national secretary Greg McConville said WA had the opportunity to lead the nation.
“A firefighter employed at Perth Airport enjoys a greater standard of protection under presumptive cancer laws than the firefighters employed at fire stations throughout WA,” he said on Monday.
Firefighters are constantly exposed to deadly toxins in smoke from structure and vehicle fires, Mr McConville said.
“And in July, the World Health Organisation officially declared firefighting a cancer-causing profession.
“When there is combustion, there is a toxic soup that our members are exposed to.
“Add that to the heat, add that to the shift work that they deal with, you have a toxic trilogy that increases the rate of cancer among firefighters.” The union’s WA secretary Katherine O’Hara said it was “absurd” that fireys working at Belmont Fire Station, just a few kilometres from the airport, had less protection. It was also absurd that women were not adequately protected, with cancers afflicting women’s reproductive organs not on the State’s list.
“I really ask the Premier, does he support female firefighters? Because that’s what we’re asking him,” Mr O’Hara said. “We’re asking for equality.”
Mr McConville said the Government would not even have to change legislation, with capacity to add the eight cancers by regulation.
But Premier Mark McGowan the State Government had only been advised by its own medical experts about adding malignant mesothelioma and skin cancer to the list, and would await more advice.
“Following the medical science of these things, it’s actually important” he told reporters. “We’ve done a lot for the firefighters: new equipment, a range of additional firefighters - particularly in regional areas - a new fire station down near Armadale and obviously we’re offering a better pay deal than most states around Australia.” Firefighters joined nurses and police in January in demanding a 5 per cent pay rise – and also called for a massive workforce expansion as well as installing more decontamination showers at DFES career fire stations.
There are presently only 10 at 29 stations.
“We’re hoping to improve that number as soon as possible,” Ms O’Hara said.
https://thewest.com.au/news/health/firefighters-pushing-hard-for-mcgowan-government-to-expand-cancer-protection-coverage-c-10165633
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