Retired and former Queensland mine and quarry workers in the Whitsundays Region can access free lung health checks on the Heart 5 Mobile Health Unit, 26-27 April in Bowen.
Executive Director of Resources Safety and Health Queensland’s (RSHQ) Occupational Health division Dean Barr said the world-first mobile health unit the Heart 5 travels Queensland to provide lung health checks for mine and quarry workers who may be at risk of mine dust lung disease.
“If mine dust lung disease is detected early it can reduce the risk of disease progression, helping to maintain quality of life, and get workers access to support,” he explained.
“We’re proud to be in partnership with Heart of Australia who visit mining communities to offer lung health checks which are paid for by RSHQ.
“The free lung health checks for retired and former Queensland mine and quarry workers include chest X-ray and spirometry, and where required, other follow-up investigations such as high-resolution CT scans.”
The program is part of Queensland’s mine safety and health regulations to provide retired and former workers with a free lung check, every five years, for life.
Heart of Australia’s Head of Operations Ewan Wylie said the Queensland-made, 56-tonne, 34-wheel road train Heart 5 was launched in February 2022.
“With support from the Queensland Government and RSHQ, we built Heart 5 specifically to travel into regional and remote Queensland to provide mine and quarry workers with easy access to the best respiratory health services available,” he said.
“Workers can be assured they are in the best of hands – our team includes experienced respiratory specialists, radiologists and technicians who utilise highly sensitive on-board equipment to investigate possible abnormalities.”
Heart 5 is the fifth truck in Heart of Australia’s fleet of mobile services, which have been improving health outcomes for Queensland’s rural and remote communities since 2014.
If you are a retired or former Queensland mine or quarry worker, contact the Mine Dust Health Support Service on 1300 445 715 to discuss your eligibility and how to arrange a free lung health check on Heart 5 in Bowen 26-27 April.
If you still work in the industry, speak to your workplace about mandatory lung health checks as part of your employment.
WHAT: Free lung health checks for miners
WHERE: Bowen
WHEN: 26-27 April
Heart 5’s Ewan Wylie takes retired gold miner, John Walker through a spirometry test
Radiographer, Mark Moxey, explains the CT scan procedure to a client
The Heart 5 Truck
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