More than 4,000 workers across New South Wales have undergone free lung health checks through icare’s upgraded mobile screening clinic, as authorities expand monitoring of workers exposed to hazardous workplace dust.
The icare Lung Health Mobile Clinic, commonly known as the Lung Bus, is currently operating in Liverpool for 12 days, screening workers from industries including construction, manufacturing and waste management.
Since a $2.5 million upgrade in February 2025, the mobile clinic has screened 4,069 workers across NSW.
One in 10 Screenings Identified an Abnormal or Incidental Finding
New icare data shows 96 per cent of workers screened through the upgraded clinic were undergoing the service for the first time.
Around one in 10 screenings identified either an abnormal or incidental finding.
Of all workers screened, around 2 per cent recorded silica-related findings, while another 8 per cent had incidental findings that could include other respiratory conditions or cardiovascular abnormalities.
The figures do not mean that one in 10 workers was diagnosed with a dust disease. Instead, the results show the proportion of screenings that identified something requiring further attention or investigation.
Free Screening Brought Directly to Workplaces and Communities
The mobile clinic travels across metropolitan, regional and rural NSW to reduce barriers such as travel time and cost.
The service includes:
- Digital chest X-rays
- Lung function testing
- Assessment of workplace dust exposure
- Consultation with a medical professional
- Referral for a CT scan where required
- Specialist review of screening results
A standard appointment takes around 30 minutes.
Since the upgraded clinic began operating, it has completed 408 screening days across NSW.
Silica Worker Register Reaches More Than 19,500 Workers
The Liverpool visit coincides with National Safe Work Month, which began on 1 October.
NSW businesses undertaking high-risk crystalline silica processing are also required to use the state’s Silica Worker Register.
The register commenced on 1 October 2025 and now includes 19,507 workers from more than 860 businesses, according to the latest government figures.
Under NSW workplace safety rules, businesses must register workers carrying out high-risk silica processing activities within 28 days of that work commencing.
The register is intended to help SafeWork NSW identify workers who require health monitoring and track employer compliance with silica-related work health and safety obligations.
Health Monitoring Required for Workers at Risk
Respirable crystalline silica can be generated when materials containing silica are cut, drilled, ground or polished.
Long-term or high-level exposure can cause serious illnesses including silicosis and lung cancer. SafeWork NSW describes these diseases as preventable where exposure risks are properly controlled.
Businesses are legally required to provide health monitoring where workers face a significant risk from exposure to respirable crystalline silica.
Workers involved in high-risk silica processing must also be entered on the Silica Worker Register unless an exemption applies, including for businesses regulated under the Coal Industry Act 2001.
NSW Expands Workplace Dust Controls
The mobile screening program forms part of a broader set of measures introduced in NSW to reduce workplace exposure to hazardous dust.
These include:
- The mandatory Silica Worker Register
- The ban on engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs
- A Tunnelling Dust Safety Taskforce
- A dedicated SafeWork NSW silica compliance team
- $5 million in funding for the Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute
- A binding work health and safety code of practice for crystalline silica
SafeWork NSW has also increased inspections and compliance activity in industries where workers face elevated exposure risks.
More Mobile Clinic Stops Planned for 2026
The Lung Health Mobile Clinic will continue operating around NSW during the remainder of the year.
Remaining locations include:
- October: Greater Sydney and Newcastle
- November: Central Coast
- December: Central Coast
The mobile service is designed to detect signs of occupational lung disease earlier, particularly among workers who may not otherwise undergo regular screening.