Toowoomba residents who have worked in the mining and quarrying industries can receive free lung checks next week.
A B-double truck that is equipped with medical screening equipment and travels around Queensland offering tests to detect mine dust lung diseases will arrive in Toowoomba on Monday.
The service is operated by the Heart of Australia charity in partnership with Resources Safety and Health Queensland.
The “HEART5” truck will be based at Queens Park in east Toowoomba on Monday and Tuesday next week.
Free checks are available to former Queensland mine and quarry workers with at least three years of experience working in coal mines, mineral mines or quarries, including six months in Queensland.
RSHQ’s director of health strategy and compliance Patrick Jensen said the tests were important to do, even long after finishing work in the industry because occupational lung diseases could take 10 years or more to develop.
“Many former workers may not have symptoms or be aware they have a disease,”
Mr Jensen said. “Come forward and get tested because there could be treatment available, and you may be entitled to compensation.”
