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The NSW government is urging people who may have been exposed to asbestos to undergo medical screening.
Attorney-General John Hatzistergos on Tuesday encouraged workers to get tested for asbestos-related illnesses, which are often fatal, during Asbestos Awareness Week.
'Occupational health and safety regulations require employers to provide health checks for employees who are exposed to hazardous substances such as asbestos or crystalline silica,' he said in a statement.
'(It is) an appropriate time for people to seek out information about the potential risks of being exposed to asbestos.'
Asbestos is a carcinogen and inhalation of its fibres can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis, scarring of the lungs.
Workers are able to undergo screening at the Dust Diseases Board in Sydney or on the mobile Lung Bus, which will be in Newcastle on Wednesday.
The Lung Bus checkup includes an X-ray, lung function test and examination by a doctor.
Earlier this month the state and federal governments announced they would lend $320 million to the compensation fund set up for James Hardie asbestos victims.
For more information about these services contact the Dust Diseases Board's occupational screening co-ordinator on (02) 8223 6600.
