‘Lives destroyed’: Killer engineered stone ban ‘too late’
A generation of pain and suffering will hit thousands of tradies despite a deadly product, popular with Australians, being axed.
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Dean Morris was “heartbroken” when he learned the trade he loved had caused a potentially fatal disease that would ruined his health.
His heartbreak was also exacerbated by the fact the deadly item found on worksites across Australia that caused the disease has taken years to be banned.
The tradie worked as a stonemason for 20 years before being diagnosed with silicosis in 2019 but warns the lack of action for years on the growing health epidemic will see many more people “suffering”.
Engineered stone, hugely popular in renovations and new builds, has been linked to silicosis — an incurable workplace-related disease caused by inhaling silica dust.
The Royal Australian College of GPs states those diagnosed with silicosis “lose an average 11.6 years of life”.
Now, Australia will become the first country in the world to ban engineered stone – coming into effect on July 1.
But Mr Morris said a tradie passed away from silicosis in Queensland five years ago, bringing the “alarming” disease to the forefront and pushing companies in Victoria to put workers through mandatory testing.
When the dad-of-two received his silicosis diagnosis, he described it as a “horrible” time as he battled WorkCover to approve his claim.
“At first I was just devastated, I was a bit surprised, but I also wasn’t. As the days went on from the diagnosis I started realising I was having medical issues way back in November 2014,” he told news.com.au.
“I was having serious fatigue issues, it affected my marriage and maintaining my responsibilities around the household. I got blood tests back then and they found nothing.
“It was a real emotional rollercoaster at first but as time has gone on, I have just gotten more bitter and angry now.”
The 44-year-old said stonemasonry wasn’t just a trade for him but it was a passion he loved.
“I would brag to my mates that I did this kitchen or wall features and it was fancy stuff, high-end houses, it was a very hard pill to swallow,” he added.
“I get a bit frustrated as I was in this situation, doing what I did and loved it, but yet what I was doing was slowly ruining me.”
Since his diagnosis, the Victorian man hasn’t been able to work and he lives with debilitating health issues.
Unless he is sitting still, he is short of breath at all times, even from simple tasks such as making the bed or drying himself after a shower.
The dad of daughters, aged 10 and six, is also severely fatigued, and as the day progresses he gets worse “going downhill quickly”.
“I’m always tired. If I sneeze it hurts, I get chest pains, I get real sore and aches in my joints and knees, particularly in my legs and lower body, particularly in the afternoon. The afternoons are worse as the day progresses,” he said.
Mr Morris said his lungs are full of scar tissue.
His medical team has told him the goal is stop him declining.
The worst case scenario is a lung transplant, although his specialist hasn’t spoken of this possibility at this stage.
It’s estimated that up to 600,000 Australian workers are potentially exposed to silica dust each year, and hundreds of lung disease diagnoses related to exposure are confirmed annually.
A Curtin University study completed last year predicted that up to 103,000 labourers would be diagnosed with silicosis.
The CFMEU, a union representing over 100,000 construction workers, led the Stop the Killer Stone campaign calling for a total ban on the import, manufacture and use of engineered stone.
Last year, Bunnings and Ikea made announcements about phasing out the sale of products with engineered stone.
Now, the federal government has pushed through its own ban.
Mr Morris welcomed the ban but said it had taken too long to come into force as tradies continued to be exposed to the deadly dust.
“I know easily over 10 people that got diagnosed and three people that are extremely close to me,” he said.
“It’s a shame it’s affected so many people, and again nothing was done about it ... it’s not good enough. I’m just surprised that you can see there is a serious issue and its taken such a long time for something to be done. It’s a real shame”
Shine Lawyers’ dust diseases national practice leader Roger Singh warned a generation of pain and suffering is yet to run its course.
He had been working with silicosis sufferers for almost a decade, people he describes as young “hardworking” men who have been “cut down in their prime”.
Mr Singh saw a pattern emerging as early as 2015 when he stated seeing stonemasons diagnosed with silicosis and it prompted him to sound the alarm to both state and federal governments.
“We found the common denominator was engineered stone and going deeper with investigations we found it was 90 to 95 per cent made up of silica dust and it’s lethal. Its like a loaded gun and it hastened me to alert government at all levels,” he told news.com.au.
While he urged a ban be implemented, he said politicians did not act quickly.
“It has been a massive effort from a grassroots level from the medical frontline, unions and lawyers like myself,” he said.
“I lit the fuse in 2018 and it’s taken six years plus to reach this conclusion. This is much-needed and vital reform to save lives and protect the health and wellbeing of future workers and tradies but for many workers the ban has come too late.
“There will young lives that will continued to be destroyed in years to come with lung damage.”
He added the full impact of the “insidious” product won’t be known for decades potentially. Through his work, Mr Singh said other health consequences from exposure to silica dust have been emerging including auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
“There is a generation of pain and suffering sadly yet to run its course and it’s sad legacy but we do commend the Albanese government for taking more urgent action than previous government to put this on the political agenda,” he said regarding the ban.
“This is much needed solution that has been put in play and it will save future lives as respect to workers and tradies around the country.”
Mr Singh added the law firm would will continue to fight for Mr Morris and stonemasons all over the country “to hold to account the companies who’ve pedalled this product and destroyed so many lives”.
Last year, the union said the years ahead will involve working with workers engaging with the “legacy” of engineered stone – like carrying out renovations with the material, as it advocates for a system similar to the way legacy issues around asbestos were handled.
CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith said the ban will save lives and protect workers’ families and friends from enduring more senseless death.
“This is a once-in-a-generation moment for workplace health and safety, only made possible by the bravery ... of union members,” he said.
“No individual deserves more credit than Kyle Goodwin, a former stonemason with silicosis who has dedicated himself to ensuring no other workers receive a death sentence like he has.
“CFMEU members stood up to evil businesses profiting from the deaths of workers – and won.”
Originally published as ‘Lives destroyed’: Killer engineered stone ban ‘too late’
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