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Roofers
Asbestos case studies
- Carpenters
- Boilermakers and Fitters
- Plumbers
- Roofers
- Electricians
- James Hardie employees
- Asbestos sprayers
- Insulation workers
- Asbestos pipe layers
- Clothes washing
- Living near an asbestos mine
- Home renovation
- Bystander to asbestos spray
- Power Station workers
- Whyalla Shipyards and steelworks
- Brake mechanics
- Brewery & vineyard workers
- Jewellery makers
- James Hardie Commission of Inquiry
Asbestos corrugated fibro, Deep Six or Super Six sheets were used as roofing on many homes and factories in South Australia.
Corrugated sheets could not be cut with fibro cutters and needed a hand saw or power saw to be cut. When the sheets were cut with a saw, clouds of dust went into the air. Roofers cut the sheets to size and also cut a mitre cut to the corner of the sheets to allow them to overlap.
A roofer
Mr. C worked as a roofer in the 1960s. He installed Super Six corrugated fibro, mainly on the roofs and also the walls of factories and occasionally on houses. He also installed fibro accessories including ridge capping and box gutters. On each sheet he cut mitres (corners) using an 8″ angle grinder, cutting stacks of 8 sheets at a time on the ground. He then installed the sheets, drilling holes with an electrical drill for screws. On occasions, he cut ventilation shafts into the sheets. He cut windows and doors into the sheets used for walls.
The cutting work created a lot of dust. By the end of the day Mr. C had dust in his hair, on his clothes and on his body.
At the age of 54 Mr. C was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He brought a claim against James Hardie, the manufacturer of the Super Six fibro sheets. His proceedings settled out of court for a confidential sum.