> Asbestos Exposure > Veterans & Mesothelioma > Australia Defence Force

Section Topics

Additional Topics

Enter your information to have a comprehensive mesothelioma packet delivered overnight, free of charge

Australian Defence Force and Mesothelioma

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the government-run military of Australia. The ADF is made up of the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian Army, the Royal Australian Air Force, and a number of “tri-service” divisions.

Amid the first decades of the 20th century the Australian Government established the three main armed forces, right when the toxic mineral asbestos was beginning to be widely used in shipbuilding and the construction of aircraft and buildings. As a result, all the primary divisions of the Australian Defence Force used asbestos-containing materials in some form. This led to asbestos exposure among those serving in the ADF and as a result many developed pleural mesothelioma.

Pleural Mesothelioma and the Australian Defence Force

Because asbestos is naturally fire-resistant, it was used in thousands of materials as a cheap and efficient fireproofing agent. The asbestos mineral is naturally made of fibers, which were easily woven into flexible fireproof insulating products or could be readily mixed with other materials such as concrete, glue, plaster, tiles, paint, flooring or roofing.

Like other navies around the globe, the Royal Australian Navy found many uses for asbestos-contaminated products. Fire prevention and safety is of utmost importance on all seagoing vessels such as submarines, battleships and aircraft carriers that featured contained engines and boilers and also hauled many weapons.

To increase fire prevention and safety, the Royal Australian Navy used asbestos insulation around boilers, generators, fuel lines, hot pipes and other structures exposed to heat. Asbestos could also be found as insulation in the walls, in electric cabling, valves, gaskets and more. Even spray-on asbestos insulation was applied to exposed areas of vessels, such as sleeping quarters or mess halls.

Asbestos insulation was also used in the Royal Australian Air Force on aircraft and could be found in or around brakes, gaskets, valves and areas that needed to be protected from heat. Similar asbestos products could be found in the vehicles used by the Australian Army, such as asbestos brakes, valves and gaskets. And many asbestos-contaminated construction materials were used in the buildings constructed for all divisions of the Australian Defence Force.

Pleural Mesothelioma Risks in the Australian Defence Force

Those who worked in the construction, renovation or repair of Royal Australian Air Force aircraft, Royal Australian Navy vessels or shipyards, or vehicles used by the Australian Army were likely exposed to asbestos more often than most serving for the ADF. Asbestos exposure was more likely to occur during construction, renovation or repair, so veterans who served these roles are at greater risk of developing pleural mesothelioma than most.

Those who suspect they were exposed to asbestos in the Australian Defence Force can sign up for the Defence Asbestos Exposure Evaluation Scheme (DAEES). This organization formed in 1991 as a result of the Report of the Independent Review of Asbestos in Defence.

Sources