Over this last weekend, asbestos-safety advocates, ADSVIC, took advantage of the topicality of the navy’s poor management of asbestos by including half-page ads in major Australian newspapers. The ads focused on the risks associated with DIY home renovators but law firm, Slater & Gordon, related their asbestos information sheet directly to the media attention about the Australian Navy.
Slater & Gordon, a former employer of Australia’s industrial relations and education minister, Julia Gillard, have always been active in seeking new clients and have participated in many class actions based on workplace safety issues, particularly the James Hardie Industries legal action of earlier this century which was important for many reasons, including the furthering of political careers.
Slater & Gordon’s information sheet includes a list of those people who it believes are at risk of asbestos-related diseases. It doesn’t much leave room for anyone to feel safe from this risk.
- Miners
- Asbestos plant workers
- Handlers and waterside workers
- Asbestos factory workers
- Carpenters, plumbers, electricians and builders
- Wives and children of workers
- Office workers
- Mechanics/brake workers
- Power plant workers/refinery workers
- Teachers and students
- Hospital workers
- Telstra workers
- People at home