Occupational health in Australia

Abstract

Australia is a developed country in the Asia-Pacific Region with a large land area but a small population. Its main economic activities are mining, agriculture and manufacturing, with its service and high-technology industries being the fastest growing sectors in recent years. The regulation and enforcement of Occupational Health and Safety policies are mainly administered by the Industrial Relations Departments of eight State and Territory jurisdictions in the country. A National Occupational Health and Safety Commission coordinates occupational health and safety at the Commonwealth level. In 1987 the six occupational health and safety priorities in Australia were listed as occupational back pain, management of chemicals used at work, occupational noise-induced hearing loss, occupational skin disorders, occupational cancer and mechanical equipment injury. Australia has probably the highest incidence of malignant mesothelioma in the world, although the use of asbestos has been largely phased out. There was an almost explosive “epidemic” of repetition strain injury in the 1980s. Approximately 500 work-related fatalities and 10,000 work-related injuries are notified for workers' compensation every year. In addition, it is estimated that there are several thousand cases of work-related diseases every year, many of which go unreported. Occupational physicians undergo 4 years of specialisation training. Occupational hygienists, nurses and ergonomists receive training supervised by their respective professional organisations.