Expansion of Prescribed Cancers List for Firefighters
19 December 2022
Expansion to the prescribed cancers list for firefighters under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRC Act) with effect from 17 December 2022.
The Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (Prescribed Cancers) Regulations 2022 have expanded the list of prescribed cancers under subsection 7(8) of the SRC Act with effect from 17 December 2022.
The eight new prescribed cancers and qualifying periods include:
- Primary site lung cancer with a qualifying period of 15 years
- Primary site skin cancer with a qualifying period of 15 years
- Primary site cervical cancer with a qualifying period of 10 years
- Primary site ovarian cancer with a qualifying period of 10 years
- Primary site penile cancer with a qualifying period of 15 years
- Primary site pancreatic cancer with a qualifying period of 10 years
- Primary site thyroid cancer with a qualifying period of 10 years
- Malignant mesothelioma with a qualifying period of 15 years.
Subsection 7(8) of the SRC Act will apply in relation to any of the new eight prescribed cancers sustained by a firefighter on or after 4 July 2011.
For more information about workers’ compensation coverage for firefighters, check out Comcare’s Scheme guidance - Disease provisions relating to firefighters.
