Unions, including the ANMF are calling on Work Health and Safety Ministers to strengthen protections for workers, including nurses, by lowering the exposure limits for nine "cancer-causing" toxic chemicals.

The ANMF, together with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and other public health organisations, sent a joint letter urging WHS Ministers to adopt recommendations made by the national regulator, Safe Work Australia, to lower workplace exposure limits for the nine hazardous chemicals.

The nine chemicals include formaldehyde (the key ingredient for formalin), a highly toxic and carcinogenic gas, which nurses who collect and preserve tissue samples are regularly exposed to. Other chemicals include known carcinogen benzene, respirable crystalline silica, as well as chlorine, copper, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulphide, nitrogen dioxide, and titanium dioxide.

Unions say the outdated chemical exposure limits for the nine toxic chemicals should be lowered immediately ahead of new Workplace Exposure Limits coming into effect from 1 December. Join the call to protect workers from toxic chemicals by signing the ACTU’s petition here