Welcome to the first edition of Reflections’ e-Newsletter, designed to keep our volunteers, supporters and donor community informed about the work Reflections is doing to reduce the impact of asbestos on the community.
Since its inception in 2015, Reflections has continued to make a mark within the Western Australian (WA) and national asbestos awareness and support network, along with supporting the important work being undertaken in medical research into a long-term treatment for the terminal cancer, mesothelioma. With the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world and significant amounts of in situ asbestos in our built environment, asbestos has left a devastating legacy in WA. In line with the current strategic initiatives of the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency (ASEA), Reflections is currently focusing its endeavours on increasing the ongoing risks associated with asbestos.
A major milestone for Reflections was reached in 2018, when asbestos awareness training resources began being distributed to, and utilised by, Registered Training Organisations (RTO’s). This initiative was a result of months of investigation and consultation between Joanne Morris and the Construction Training Fund (CTF). At a workshop hosted by the CTF in mid-August 2017 for RTO’s and industry stakeholders, it was unanimously agreed that there was a need to adopt a consistent and relevant approach to asbestos awareness training for pre-apprentices and apprentices entering the construction industry in Western Australia.
An additional outcome of this initiative was the development and production of an animated asbestos awareness training video donated by Cell Media. This informative video has been made freely available as an online resource.
To cap off a year focusing on raising community awareness, Reflections, in partnership with Master Builders and the Housing Industry Association, is currently planning a major fun and fundraising event – STEELTOES & STILETTOS – to be held in March 2019. You can read more about this exciting initiative elsewhere in this newsletter.
On behalf of the Reflections board, I would like to wish each of you a safe and joyous Christmas and we look forward to sharing further developments in 2019.
Bruce Watkins
Reflections Chair
