Lung screening unit visits at-risk regional workers

A mobile respiratory screening service provided by icare has visited Nowra workers who are exposed to asbestos, crystalline silica and other hazardous substances.

This visit marks the 11th time icare’s mobile Lung Screen unit has visited Nowra, and is designed to bring peace of mind to workers and businesses.

“The Lung Screen unit is an example of how icare is putting workers and employers at the centre of all that it does,” said icare’s General Manager for Dust Diseases Care, Chris Koutoulas.

“We recognise that it is difficult for regional areas to have the same access to specialised health monitoring as other metropolitan areas. Bringing our mobile Lung Screen unit to at-risk workers, we can provide them peace of mind, save them valuable time and minimise disruption to their day.

“The top four industries that use our mobile Lung Screen service to screen their workers are energy, local council, construction and manufacturing — industries which make up over 37% of Nowra’s workforce.”

The stop in Nowra is part of a wider icare program to bring essential services to regional areas across the state. For local businesses, the screening provides assurance about the health and safety of their workers.

“From as far south as Griffith to as far north as Tweed Heads, we’re making it easier for employers in NSW to proactively provide their workers with essential health monitoring for potential dust diseases,” said Koutoulas.

“In 2016–17, our Lung Screen unit travelled more than 50,000 km across metropolitan and regional NSW and conducted almost 2500 lung screenings of at-risk workers.

“In 26 of these screenings, a dust-related lung abnormality was detected.”

icare’s Lung Screen unit will be returning to Nowra in 2019. Employers interested in taking advantage of this health monitoring service are encouraged to contact icare to arrange a booking or visit https://www.icare.nsw.gov.au/employers/caring-for-your-people/lung-screening-service/.

icare’s Lung Screen unit features a 13 m trailer equipped with:

• a digital chest X-ray room
• advanced lung function testing equipment
• a medical practitioner to conduct lung examinations

The screening takes 20 min and the results are reviewed by a respiratory physician. A report is then provided to each worker and the employer is immediately notified of any exposure to an industrial dust.

Watch the construction of icare’s Mobile Lung Screen Service:

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/pabijan