Australian Navy Asbestos Exposure

Is all asbestos harmful.

Australian navy asbestos exposure.

Exposure to asbestos aboard naval vessels caused many veterans to later develop mesothelioma and other serious asbestos related conditions. Australian sailors are being exposed to deadly asbestos fibres because the navy continues to use contaminated parts years after they were outlawed. Ex defence force personnel particularly members of the royal australian navy may have had exposure to asbestos while serving aboard navy ships where asbestos insulation was used. The defence asbestos and hazardous chemicals exposure scheme dahces combines what was previously known as the defence asbestos exposure evaluation scheme daees and the defence exposure evaluation scheme dees the daees was developed as a result of the independent review of asbestos management in defence the enfield report.

Navy ships manufactured before 1980 and every sailor or workman who served on these ships was likely exposed to asbestos. Today navy veterans make up the highest percentage of patients with mesothelioma a life threatening cancer caused by asbestos exposure. Wide exposure to asbestos. David martin australian sailor and politician died on 10 august 1990 of pleural mesothelioma.

Asbestos can be found naturally in low levels in most parts of. Benefits for navy veterans with mesothelioma. Asbestos was used in all u s. Department of veterans affairs recognizes several asbestos related diseases as potentially service connected including asbestosis lung cancer and mesothelioma navy veterans who get sick because of military asbestos exposure are eligible for free health care disability compensation and other va benefits.

Defence asbestos and hazardous chemicals exposure scheme. Most ex naval personnel who served onboard australian naval vessels between about 1945 and the 1980 s are likely to have been exposed to asbestos at some stage during their naval service either because they were working with asbestos themselves or were present when others either naval personnel or dockyard personnel were working with it. It is believed that this was caused through childhood exposure to asbestos insulation in the attic of his father s shop. Products were prevalent in facilities and ships used by the australian defence force adf.

It is believed that this was caused by his exposure to asbestos on military ships during his career in the royal australian navy. The navy used the toxic mineral because of its affordability tensile strength and resistance to heat and chemical damage. There is no amount of asbestos exposure low enough to be guaranteed 100 per cent free of health risk. Navy vessels built prior to 1980 were laden with asbestos.