Legal firm Maurice Blackburn has welcomed reports of Federal Government discussions about the risks of silicosis in the stonemason industry at last week’s Council of Australian Governments meeting.

Accelerated silicosis is a form of lung disease affecting workers in the artificial stone bench-top industry who are exposed to dust from dry-cutting crushed silica rock.

Maurice Blackburn lawyer Leah O’Keefe says the discussions are long overdue.

“Too many workers in a number of states have been impacted by the dangerous and avoidable consequences of silica exposure – stonemasons in particular,” she said.

She says in many instances the risks have been ignored and employers operating dangerous environments have not been held to account.

Sixteen silicosis claims have been made by stonemasons in Victoria in the past three financial years, with 23 in NSW, according to media reports.

Respiratory health peak body the Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand has long called for a national registry of occupational lung disease cases.

Ms O’Keefe says the Federal Government must act on doctors’ calls to develop a silicosis screening test for stonemasons.

Maurice Blackburn also supports calls by the Thoracic Society for an urgent review of dust control measures, and comprehensive reinforcement within workplaces.

There must be an immediate ban on dry-cutting engineered stone nationwide, Ms O’Keefe says. Queensland has already implemented a ban.