Hundreds of new dust-related lung disease cases recorded in Queensland

Hundreds of workers who have developed lung diseases have had their cases recorded on Queensland's Notifiable Dust Lung Disease Register in the past year.

Of the 292 workers with cases recorded, six died before their illnesses were noted on the register.

The new cases have reignited calls for more to be done to protect workers.

Nearly 300 workers who have developed deadly lung diseases after being exposed to dust at Queensland mines, construction projects and worksites have had their cases recorded on a government register in the past year.

Of the 292 workers with cases added to the state's Notifiable Dust Lung Disease Register, 121 were diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 96 had respiratory cancers and 93 had pneumoconiosis.

Most workers were aged 60 years or older, but there were four workers aged between 20 and 39.

Six of the workers had died by the time their case was recorded on the register.

Workers were most frequently exposed to asbestos, followed by mixed dust, coal and silica, according to the register.

All of the workers recorded were occupationally exposed in Queensland, with 94 per cent stating their primary exposure occurred in the state.

The new cases have reignited warnings from doctors, lawyers and advocates that more needs to be done to prevent occupational dust exposure.

Former coal miner Craig Keogh was diagnosed with pneumoconiosis — also known as "black lung" — in 2018, after being exposed at Queensland and New South Wales mines.

He said the number of new cases was disgraceful.  

"That's 292 death sentences because there's no cure,"

Mr Keogh said.

"Once you've got it, you're on death's door.

"It doesn't just impact one person, it's their families, their friends — it impacts a lot of people."

After his diagnosis in 2018, Mr Keogh took his fight against several employers to court.

He became the first person to win a black lung case at trial and was awarded $3.2 million in damages.

"It's destroyed me," he said.

"I was healthy, fit and working, and as soon as I got diagnosed, I couldn't walk onto a mine site.

"My career ended and the financial impact was huge, and the mental impact — it's taken a big toll on me."

The former miner said while safety education efforts had improved in recent years, more needed to be done.

"Prevention is key — people need to be aware of where they're working and the dangers,"

Mr Keogh said.

The register has been monitoring notifiable dust lung diseases annually since 2019, with 1,929 workers recorded on the register in total.

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Royal Australasian College of Physicians fellow and senior occupational physician Graeme Edwards said it was tragic that there was even a need for a government register of the cases.

"Each one of these workers are having to suffer and each one of these conditions are eminently preventable," he said.

"Four of those workers were under 40, another 48 were under 60, the majority were in their retiring years.

"The insult to their life is severe — not just in terms of the physical constraint of the actual disease itself, but because they get restrictions on what they can do for gainful employment."

This year, the register also highlighted silicosis, a disease caused by inhaling respirable crystalline silica dust, after a national focus on the disease in recent years.

Forty-one workers had new confirmed cases of silicosis added to the register in the past financial year.

Calls to better protect workers

Shine Lawyers dust diseases practice manager Roger Singh said overall, it was appalling that the number of workers diagnosed with dust diseases was not declining.

"That is because of dereliction of duty," he said.

"We probably have … over 100 cases involving an array of dust-related diseases because of the negligence on the part of employers and manufacturers."

In the wake of the newly recorded cases, Lung Foundation Australia has called for better monitoring and assessment of workplaces to ensure worker safety.

"These are high-risk industries and they are vital as well for the community … but more does need to be done in protecting the safety of workers," acting chief executive Paige Preston said.

Natural Resources and Mines Minister Dale Last said the figures were a stark reminder that there was no room for complacency when it came to worker safety.

"I strongly encourage former mine and quarry workers to get their lungs checked regularly, which they can do for free through RSHQ's Former Worker Assessment Program," he said.

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Source:

Hundreds of new dust-related lung disease cases recorded in Queensland - Oct 2025

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