*The contents in this blog relates to legislation in Western Australia.
Wittenoom, a town which once thrived in the Western Australian Pilbara region is now simply a ghost town which Western Australia seeks to erase from its history.
In the early 1940s the mine at Wittenoom Gorge, owned and operated by CSR Limited commenced operation with a workforce employed by Australian Blue Asbestos. This saw not only Australian’s work within the mine and mill but also a vast population of migrants who flocked to the mining town in the hope to build a better life in Australia for themselves and their families.
Sadly prosperous futures turned to devastation as the exposure to blue asbestos, also known as crocidolite, caused significant and serious health concerns to those who were exposed to it. Conditions within the mine and mill were extremely poor, while the township of Wittenoom was also doused in blue asbestos tailings.
Exposure to blue asbestos can cause various asbestos diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, diffuse pleural fibrosis, pleural thickening and lung cancer. Unfortunately, although it became known that the mine and mill employees were beginning to suffer from asbestos diseases, this was not enough to halt mining and production.
Wittenoom mine did not officially close until 1966. However, the dangers of blue asbestos still linger amongst our society today.
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For people exposed to asbestos and diagnosed with an asbestos disease signification compensation entitlements may be available to you. However, strict time limits apply and therefore if you or a loved one are diagnosed with an asbestos disease we strongly recommend you contact Turner Freeman Lawyers for an obligation free discussion on how we can assist you.
In case you missed our previous blog articles on Wittenoom, you can read them here.