RETRENCHED Queensland Nickel workers will have their exit medical checks paid for by the State Government after voicing their concerns over potential hearing loss and chemical exposure.
The Townsville Hospital and Health Service has started a tender process for exit medicals for the workers, who fear working at the Yabulu refinery may have exposed them to a range of industrial processes including exposure to harmful chemicals.
Former Queensland Nickel employee of six years and Australian Workers’ Union delegate Chris Guse said many workers hoped the checks would provide closure and reassure them that if they did suffer harm during their employment, appropriate claims could be made.
“I’d like to know that I’m in no worse (condition) today than what I was when I started with Queensland Nickel,” Mr Guse said.
“No one at the plant was happy with what happened … and for myself, I felt left in the lurch. There are people that I’ve heard of that are suffering some hearing loss, so it’s very important for those people to get that sorted so if there are claims to be made this would provide the foundation.”
Health Minister Cameron Dick said the State Government would spend about $1 million on medical checks for up to 800 workers after a campaign by the AWU.
“This is a win for the workers … (because) I know how difficult these past few months have been for displaced workers,” he said.
“The circumstances these former QNI employees find themselves in is very unfortunate and given the nature of their work and the possible exposure they may have had to harmful chemicals it is vital that they receive their exit medicals.”
Mr Dick said the medicals were standard industry practice in the mining and mineral-processing industries and were critical to ensuring the health of workers.
“This support will give former QNI workers important peace of mind as they enter the next phase of their lives,” he said.
Mr Dick said the call for tenders would close on June 17 and he expected the process to take three to four weeks before the successful tenderer was announced.
He hoped medical tests could begin as early as July.