Australia’s leading radiologist college has hit back at a damning report into black lung disease, which found medical professionals need to be better trained to read X-rays.
An independent review into coal workers’ pneumoconiosis found systemic failures and widespread complacency led to the re-emergence of the disease, thought to have been eradicated 30 years ago.
Eleven cases of black lung have been diagnosed in Queensland, with 18 more suspected cases under review.
In response, the Queensland Government has promised stricter dust limit regulations.
Workers’ X-rays will also be sent overseas to be re-checked, while local radiographers will be up-skilled.
But Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists president Dr Greg Slater said that was not necessary.
“We believe that the expertise available in this country is sufficient to guarantee highest quality reporting and we don’t agree with the proposal,” he said.
“A common problem is that X-rays weren’t nominated as being for coal workers and looking for coal dust disease.
“This is a big problem because the same very fine dots that occur on these X-rays can be due to other reasons as well.”
“They can be due to emphysema, chicken pox in the past, prior exposure to tuberculosis or they can be nothing. They could be prominent vessels seen end-on.
“The number of cases that were wrongly missed out of the 11 confirmed cases might be zero, might be one, might be two. It’s a very small number and we’re still to see further evidence and proof.”
Companies not held to account, lawyer says
Maurice Blackburn lawyers’ dust disease litigation specialist Jonathan Walsh said while the report recommended changes to monitoring practices, it failed to hold mining companies accountable.
“Where it falls down usually, is where the enforcement regime to punish or penalise those mine operators or those employers who don’t ensure that their workplaces are safe,” he said.
“That’s where the legislation needs to be amended to ensure that occurs and occurs on a regular basis.”
The eight companies which operate underground coal mines in Queensland have committed to a new screening program for workers.