4.4.11 Claims relating to asbestos exposure while serving on certain RAN vessels

Date amended:

13 May 2020

External

Policy

The policy below addresses the historically widespread use of asbestos-containing components on Royal Australian Navy vessels over a long period.

The policy recognises that although the potential for exposure to asbestos existed aboard these vessels, it can be difficult to establish in individual cases that an exposure occurred. Therefore, in the event that a veteran with service as set out in this policy does develop an asbestos-related disease, the policy acknowledges that such exposure may have occurred and allows claims to be decided quickly, provided the veteran meets the policy requirements.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs emphasises that this policy should in no way be a cause for undue concern among veterans who served on these ships, and should not be taken to imply a significantly elevated risk of asbestos-related disease among these personnel, or that exposure definitely would have occurred in any individual case.

Claims for Asbestos-Related Conditions: Royal Australian Navy Service 1940-2010

Where any claimant contended exposure to asbestos in the course of service, delegates have previously been required to seek advice confirming the exposure through the Defence Single Access Mechanism (SAM). As part of the subsequent investigation, claimants have been required to complete a questionnaire. The investigative process is often a lengthy one.

The Repatriation and Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission has agreed that for those who served on board any of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ships listed below between 1 January 1940 and 31 December 2010, it no longer necessary to seek case-by-case confirmation of asbestos exposure as it is known that asbestos was likely to be present on those ships during that period.

In August 2019, the Repatriation Commission further agreed that, for the purpose of the application of Statements of Principles (SoPs) under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986, 75 per cent of an individual’s time served on the listed RAN ships between 1 January 1940 and 31 December 2010 will be taken to have been rendered in an enclosed environment containing respirable asbestos fibres. This is relevant because the SoPs for a number of conditions include a factor relating to being in an enclosed environment containing respirable asbestos fibres for a prescribed amount of time.

Where 75 per cent of time spent on the listed ships within the relevant period is equal to or greater than the cumulative total time spent in an enclosed environment containing respirable asbestos fibres prescribed by a factor in the SoP for a claimed condition, that SoP factor will to be taken to be met. No additional confirmation of exposure to asbestos is required where the claim is for an asbestos-related condition connected to service aboard any of the vessels listed below, where that service was rendered between 1 January 1940 and 31 December 2010 and 75 per cent of the time aboard the vessel meets the relevant enclosed environment SoP factor.

The list of vessels has been provided by the Department of Defence and shows ships on board which members may have been exposed to asbestos during the relevant period. For any claims which relate to service other than on board any of the listed vessels during the relevant period, the previous policy must still be followed, and a request for confirmation should still be sought via Defence SAM. If a client claims service on a RAN ship not in the below list, please check with the Liability and Service Eligibility policy section before raising a SAM request.

It should be noted that while this policy change primarily affects claims by RAN veterans, it applies equally to members of all armed services, i.e. where an Army or Air Force member served aboard a listed ship, there is likewise no need to seek individual confirmation of exposure from Defence.

While this policy removes the need to seek confirmation of asbestos exposure in relation to certain claims, a connection between any claimed condition and asbestos exposure must still be established. All the normal legislative requirements must still be met in relation to establishing a connection to service, including ensuring that all components of the relevant SoP factor are met.

Further, while this policy is intended to assist in the speedy resolution of claims that meet the requirements set out in the policy, it should not be used as a reason to reject claims. Where a claim does not meet the requirements for acceptance under this policy, other possible avenues, such as other relevant SoP factors, and/or other potential asbestos exposures should be investigated in line with existing claims processing guidelines.

The importation and installation of new asbestos components was prohibited after 31 December 2003. It is understood that in practice, the use of asbestos in RAN vessels was becoming more and more limited by this time.

In addition, Navy was directed to remove asbestos from ships by 31 December 2010. Some exposures after this date are known to have occurred, but these are well documented, and a list is provided at the bottom of this page. Where a claim relates to contended exposure to asbestos after 31 December 2010, and relates to service on a ship not included in the list 'Asbestos on RAN Ships 2011 Onwards' provided at the bottom of this page, individual confirmation should be sought from Defence.

Please note that, where a date range ending with ‘present’ is given in the list below, this reflects only the fact that at the time when the list was provided by the Department of Defence, the vessel was still in RAN service. The last relevant date of service for the purposes of this policy remains 31 December 2010.

Further to this, the RAN follows a tradition whereby should a ship be decommissioned its name may be used on subsequent ships. Members tend to refer to the ship without making distinctions as to its commissioning date. So, although a client may have technically served on HMAS Melbourne II or HMAS Melbourne III they would likely consider that they served on the HMAS Melbourne and not make such a distinction clear in their claim. The claimant's date of service will indicate which iteration of the ship they served on.

SHIP	PERIOD IN USE
HMAS Acute	1969 - 1983
HMAS Adelaide I	1922 - 1946
HMAS Adelaide II	1980 – 2008
HMAS Adroit	1968 - 1994
HMAS Advance	1968 - 1988
HMAS Aitape	1967 - 1975
HMAS Anzac I	1951 - 1974
HMAS Anzac II	1996 - Present
HMAS Archer	1968 - 1973
HMAS Ardent	1968 - 1994
HMAS Arrow	1968 - 1974
HMAS Arunta I	1942 – 1968
HMAS Arunta II	1998 – Present
HMAS Assail	1968 – 1985
HMAS Attack	1967 - 1985
HMAS Aware	1968 – 1993
HMAS Balikpapan	1974 - 2012
MSA Bandicoot	1991 - 2010
HMAS Bandolier	1968 – 1973
HMAS Banks	1960 – 1995
HMAS Barbette	1968 – 1985
HMAS Barcoo	1944 - 1963
HMAS Barricade	1968 – 1982
HMAS Barwon	1945 – 1962
HMAS Bass	1960 - 1994
HMAS Bataan	1945 - 1958
HMAS Bathurst	1940 – 1948
HMAS Bayonet	1969 – 1988
HMAS Benalla I	1943- 1958
HMAS Benalla II	1990 – Present
HMAS Bendigo I	1941 – 1947
HMAS Bendigo II	1983 – 2006
MSA Bermagui	1994 – 2000
HMAS Betano	1974 – 2012
HMAS Bingera	1940 – 1946
HMAS Black snake	1944 - 1945
HMAS Bombard	1968 – 1983
HMAS Boonaroo	1967- 1967
HMAS Bowen	1942 – 1956
HMAS Brisbane II	1967 – 2001
MSA Brolga	1988 – 2002
HMAS Broome I	1942 - 1946
HMAS Brunei	1971 – 2014
HMAS Buccaneer	1969 - 1985
HMAS Buna	1973 - 1974
HMAS Bunbury I	1942 - 1961
HMAS Bunbury II	1984 - 2005
HMAS Bundaberg I	1942 - 1961
HMAS Bungaree	1940 – 1946
HMAS Burdekin	1944 – 1946
HMAS Burnie	1941 – 1946
HMAS Cairns	1942 – 1946
HMAS Canberra II	1981 - 2005
HMAS Cape Leeuwin	1943 – 1945
HMAS Carroo	1942 – 1946
MSA Carole-S	1993 – 1994
HMAS Castlemaine	1942 – 1945
HMAS Cessnock I	1942 – 1947
HMAS Cessnock II	1983 – 2005
HMAS Colac	1942 – 1983
HMAS Collins	1996 – Present
HMAS Condamine	1945 – 1962
HMAS Cook	1980 – 1990
HMAS Cootamundra	1943 – 1962
HMAS Cowra	1943 – 1961
HMAS Culgoa	1945 – 1962
HMAS Curlew	1962 – 1991
HMAS Darwin	1984 – Present
HMAS Dechaineux	2001 – Present
HMAS Deloraine	1941 – 1956
HMAS Derwent	1964 – 1994
HMAS Diamantina I	1945 – 1981
HMAS Diamantina II	2002 – Present
HMAS Dubbo I	1942 – 1958
HMAS Dubbo II	1984 – 2006
HMAS Duchess	1964 – 1977
HMAS Echuca	1942- 1952
HMAS Farncomb	1998 – Present
HMAS Falie	1940 – 1946
HMAS Flinders	1973 – 1998
HMAS Forceful	1942 – 1943
HMAS Fremantle I	1943 – 1961
HMAS Fremantle II	1980 – 2006
HMAS Gascoyne I	1946 – 1966
HMAS Gascoyne II	2001 – Present
HMAS Gawler I	1942 – 1946
HMAS Gawler II	1983 – 2006
HMAS Gayundah	1944 – 1981
HMAS Geelong I	1942 – 1944
HMAS Geelong II	1984 – 2006
HMAS Geraldton I	1942 – 1946
HMAS Geraldton II	1983 – 2006
HMAS Gladstone I	1943 – 1956
HMAS Gladstone II	1984 – 2007
HMAS Glenelg I	1942 – 1957
HMAS Goorangai	1939 – 1940
HMAS Goulburn	1941 – 1947
HMAS Gull	1962 – 1972
HMAS Gunbar	1940 – 1946
HMAS Gympie	1942 – 1961
HMAS Hawk I	1940 – 1945
HMAS Hawk II	1962 – 1976
HMAS Hawkesbury I	1944 – 1955
HMAS Hawkesbury II	2000 – Present
HMAS HDML 1347	1945 – 1946
HMAS Heros	1940 – 1942, 1943 – 1947
HMAS Hobart II	1965- 2000
HMAS Horsham	1942 – 1961
HMAS Huon	1999 – Present
HMAS Ibis	1962 – 1984
HMAS Inverell	1942 – 1952
HMAS Ipswich I	1942 – 1946
HMAS Ipswich II	1982 – 2007
HMAS Jeparit	1969 – 1971
HMAS Jervis Bay I	1977 – 1996
HMAS Jervis Bay II	1999 – 2001
HMAS Junee	1944 – 1958
HMAS Kalgoorlie	1942 – 1946
HMAS Kangaroo	1940 – 1955
HMAS Kanimbla I	1943 – 1949
HMAS Kanimbla II	1994 – 2011
HMAS Kapunda	1942 – 1961
HMAS Kara Kara	1941 – 1972
HMAS Katoomba	1940 – 1957
HMAS Kiama	1942 – 1952
HMAS Kimbla	1956 – 1985
HMAS King bay	1940 – 1946
HMAS Kookaburra	1939 – 1958
HMAS Koopa	1942 – 1947
MSA Koraaga	1989 – 200
HMAS Kuru	1941 – 1943
HMAS Kuttabul	1940 – 1942
HMAS Labuan I	1946 – 1955
HMAS Labuan II	1973 – 2014
HMAS Lachlan	1945 – 1949
HMAS Ladava	1968 – 1975
HMAS Lae I	1946 - 1955
HMAS Lae II	1968 – 1975
HMAS Latrobe	1942 – 1956
HMAS Launceston I	1942 – 1946
HMAS Launceston II	1982 – 2006
HMAS Leeuwin	2000 – Present
HMAS Lismore	1941 – 1956
HMAS Lithgow	1941 – 1956
HMAS LST 3008	1946 – 1950
HMAS LST 3014	1946 – 1950
HMAS LST 3022	1946 – 1950
HMAS Macquarie	1945 – 1962
HMAS Madang	1968 – 1975
HMAS Manoora I	1939 – 1947
HMAS Manoora II	1994 – 2011
HMAS Maroubra	1942 – 1943
HMAS Maryborough I	1941 - 1947
HMAS Matafele	1943 – 1944
HMAS Mavie	1941 – 1942
HMAS Medea	1942 – 1945
HMAS Melbourne II	1955 – 1982
HMAS Melbourne III	1992 – Present
HMAS Melville	2000 – Present
HMAS Mercedes	1942 – 1945
Merkur	1942 – 1949
HMAS Mermaid	1989 – Present
HMAS Mildura	1941 – 1956
HMAS ML 827	1943 - 1944
HMAS Mombah	1940 - 1948
HMAS Moresby II	1964 – 1997
HMAS Murchison	1945 – 1962
HMAS Nambucca	1940 – 1943
HMAS Napier	1940 – 1945
HMAS Nepal	1942 – 1945
HMAS Nestor	1941 – 1942
HMAS Newcastle	1994 – Present
HMAS Nizam	1941 – 1945
HMAS Norman I	1941 – 1945
HMAS Norman II	2000 – Present
HMAS Onslow	1969 – 1999
HMAS Orion	1977 – 1997
HMAS Otama	1978 – 1999
HMAS Otway II	1968 – 1994
HMAS Ovens	1969 – 1995
HMAS Oxley II	1967 – 1992
HMAS Paluma II	1941 – 1945
HMAS Paluma III	1946 – 1973
HMAS Paluma IV	1989 – Present
HMAS Parkes	1944 – 1957
HMAS Parramatta II	1940 – 1941
HMAS Parramatta III	1961 – 1991
HMAS Patricia Cam	1942 – 1943
HMAS Perth II	1965 – 1999
HMAS Ping Wo	1942 – 1946
HMAS Pirie	1942 – 1946
HMAS Polaris	1942 – 1945
HMAS Porpoise	1973 – 1989
HMAS Poyang	1942 – 1946
HMAS Protector II	1990 – 1998
HMAS Quadrant	1945-1957
HMAS Quality	1942-1946
HMAS Queenborough	1945-1972
HMAS Quiberon	1942-1964
HMAS Quickmatch	1942-1963
HMAS Rankin	2003 – Present
ASRV Remora	1995 – 2006
HMAS Reserve	1943 – 1961
HMAS Rockhampton	1942 – 1961
Rona	1943 – 1946
HMAS Rushcutter	1986 – 2001
HMAS Salamaua	1973 – 1974
HMAS Samarai	1968 – 1975
HMAS Samuel Benbow	1940 – 1946
HMAS Seal	1968 – 1988
HMAS Sheean	2000 – Present
HMAS Shepparton I	1943 – 1958
HMAS Shepparton II	1990 – Present
HMAS Shoalhaven	1945 - 1962
HMAS Shoalwater	1987 – 2001
HMAS Shropshire	1943 – 1949
HMAS Sleuth	1940 - 1945
HMAS Snipe	1962 – 1983
HMAS Stalwart	1966 – 1989
HMAS Stawell	1943- 1952
HMAS Steady Hour	1941 – 1945
HMAS Stella	1942- 1945
HMAS Strahan	1944 – 1961
HMAS Stuart I	1933 – 1946
HMAS Stuart II	1963 – 1991
HMAS Stuart III	2002 – Present
HMAS St Giles	1940 – 1946
HMAS Success	1986 – Present
HMAS Supply	1962 – 1985
HMAS Swan II	1937 - 1964
HMAS Swan III	1970 – 1996
HMAS Sydney III	1948 – 1973
HMAS Sydney IV	1983 – 2015
TRV Tailor	1971 – 1988
DT Tammar	1984 – 1998
HMAS Tamworth	1942 – 1946
HMAS Tarakan I	1946 – 1954
HMAS Tarakan II	1973 – 2014
HMAS Teal	1962 – 1979
HMAS Terka	1940 – 1945
Telopea crane stores lighter	1972 – 1997
HMAS Terka	1940 – 1945
HMAS Tobruk I	1950 - 1972
HMAS Tobruk II	1981 – 2015
HMAS Toowoomba I	1941 – 1946
HMAS Torrens II	1971 – 1998
HMAS Townsville I	1941 – 1956
HMAS Townsville II	1981 – 2007
TRV Trevally	1970 – 1988
TRV Tuna	1970 – 1988
HMAS Uralba	1942 – 1945
HMAS Vampire I	1933 – 1942
HMAS Vampire II	1959 – 1985
HMAS Vendetta I	1933 – 1945
HMAS Vendetta II	1958 – 1979
HMAS Vengeance	1952 – 1955
HMAS Vigilant	1940 – 1945
HMAS Voyager I	1933 – 1942
HMAS Voyager II	1957 – 1964
HMAS Wagga	1942 – 1962
Wallaby	1983 – 1997
HMAS Wallaroo	1942 – 1943
MSA Wallaroo	1991 - 2010
HMAS Waree	1942 – 1946
HMAS Waller	2001 – Present
HMAS Warramunga I	1942 – 1963
HMAS Warramunga	2001 – Present
HMAS Warrego II	1940 – 1963
Warrigal	1984 – 1997
HMAS Warrnambool	1941 – 1947
HMAS Warrnambool	1981 – 2005
HMAS Wato	1941 – 1945
Wattle	1972 – 1997
HMAS Waterhen	1933 – 1941
HMAS Westralia I	1939 – 1949
HMAS Westralia II	1989 – 2006
HMAS Wewak	1973 – 2012
HMAS Whang Pu	1944 – 1946
HMAS Whyalla I	1942 – 1947
HMAS Whyalla II	1982 – 2005
HMAS Wollongong I	1941 – 1946
HMAS Wollongong II	1981 – 2005
Wombat	1983 – 1997
HMAS Wongala	1939 – 1944
HMAS Woomera	1946 – 1960
HMAS Wyatt Earp	1947 – 1951
Wyulda	1984 – 1997
HMAS Yandra	1940 – 1946
HMAS Yarra II	1961 – 1985
HMAS Yarra III	1961 – 1985
HMAS Yarra IV	2003 – Present
STS Young Endeavour	1988 - Present
HMAS Yunnam	1944- 1946

Asbestos on RAN Ships 2011 Onwards

Although Navy was directed by Defence Minister to eradicate Asbestos by 31 December 2010, the following is a list of OHSIR (Occupational Health Safety Incident Report) has been raised by ships stating potential asbestos exposure. These occurrences should have had either an AC563 or Sentinel report to accompany the exposure to personnel.

• 2011 HMAS Newcastle

• 2011 HMAS Darwin

• 2011 HMAS Stuart

• 2012 HMAS Sydney

• 2012 HMAS Tobruk

• 2012 HMAS Success

• 2012 HMAS Paluma

• 2014 HMAS Sydney

• 2015 HMAS Success

• 2016 HMAS Perth

• 2016 HMAS Melbourne