Garment Industries of Bangladesh free essay sample

In the field of industrialization, role of ready-made garments (RMG) industry is found very prominent in both developed and developing countries. Economic history of Britain reveals that in the 18th Century the cotton mills of Lancashire in Britain ushered in the first industrial revolution of the world. Moreover, during the last 200 years or more many countries of the world have used RMG industry as an engine for growth and a basis for attaining economic development. Over the past few years garment industry is found to have played such an important role in the process of industrialization and economic growth. The growth of garment industry in Bangladesh is a comparatively recent one. RMG business started in the late 70s as a negligible non-traditional sector with a narrow export base and by the year 1983 it emerged as a promising export earning sector. 2. Presently the RMG sector is the life-blood of Bangladesh economy achieving higher export growth every year. We will write a custom essay sample on Garment Industries of Bangladesh or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The sector is now the largest contributor not only to overseas trade but also to the national economy. Bangladesh textiles and RMG industry comprises 155,557 units 148,000 handlooms units, 3,284 mechanized primary textile units, 5150 export-oriented readymade garments manufacturing units and 273 garments washing-dyeing units. The sector is a major foreign exchange earner for Bangladesh contributing 77 per cent to the countrys net exports. At the end of the fiscal year 2011, total export of Bangladesh garments was worth US$ 23 billion, a 43 per cent increase over the previous year, accounting for almost 25 per cent of the GDP (gross domestic product). The overall impact of the readymade garment exports is certainly one of the most significant social and economic developments in contemporary Bangladesh. Although the industry is one of the largest in Bangladesh and is still expanding, it faces massive challenges, principally because the country does not produce enough of the raw materials necessary, unfavorable trade policies, and inadequate incentives for expansion. However, the potentials in the RMG can be realized only if the challenges in some areas like – infrastructures, compliances, workforces supply, suppliers’ performances, raw materials, political stability are tackled. After giving a bird’s eye view on the RMG sector of Bangladesh, this paper would try to analysis the impact of RMG on the economy of Bangladesh. Then the paper would contemplate critically on the problems faced by RMG sector and solutions. Aim 4. The aim of this paper is to discuss about the ready-made garments (RMG) industry in Bangladesh, problems faced by this sector and plausible options to overcome. An Overview of Ready-Made Garments in Bangladesh 5. The Rise of Ready-Made Garments in Bangladesh. The growth of garment industry in Bangladesh is a comparatively recent one. In the British period there was no garment industry in this part of the Indo-Pak-Sub Continent. In 1960 the first garment industry in Bangladesh (Then East Pakistan) was established at Dhaka. From 1976 and 1977 some entrepreneurs came forward to setup 100% export oriented garment industry. Both domestic and international environment favored the rapid growth of this industry in Bangladesh. Some important phases of the Bangladesh RMG industry: Period| Event| 1977-1980| Early period of growth| 1982-1985| Boom days| 985| Imposition of quota restrictions| 1990| Knitwear sector developed significantly| 1995-96| Child labor issue and its solution| 2003| Withdrawal of Canadian quota restriction| 2005| Phase-out of export-quota system| Currently, there are more than 4,000 RMG firms in Bangladesh. More than 95 percent of those firms are locally owned with the exception of a few foreign firms located in export processing zones. The RMG firms are located mainly in three main cities: the capital city Dhaka, the port city Chittagong and the industrial city Narayangonj. . Products of RMG, Trade and Contribution in Our Economy. a. Products. Ready-made garments manufactured in Bangladesh are divided mainly into two broad categories: Apparel and knit products. Apparel products are tee-shirt, polo shirt, short pant shirt, pajama, jeans-pant, nightdress etc and also included all kind of RMG products. Knitted products are mainly warm cloths includes socks, trouser, hosiery, bags, mittens, jacket, trouser and sleeves etc. Bangladesh totally exports 35 types of garment products to about 31 countries around the world. Apparel garment products still dominate the garment export earnings of the country. Bangladesh exports its RMG products mainly to the United States of America and the European Union. These two destinations account for more than a 90 per cent share of the country’s total earnings from garment exports. b. Trade and Contribution in Our Economy. The export-oriented readymade garments (RMG) industry has made significant contribution to the economic development of Bangladesh. Bangladesh is the worlds second biggest exporter of clothing after China. Readymade garments make up 80 percent of the countrys $24 billion in annual exports and 15 percent share of GDP in 2012 FY. Also this was about 4. 47 per cent of the global total value of garments exports (EPB, 20011-2012). Currently, the textile industry accounts for 45% of all industrial employment in the country and contributes 5% of the total national income. It is a clear indication of its contribution to the overall economy. The garments industry plays a key role in promoting the development of linkages between small-scale industries. The RMG industry employs nearly three million workers directly and more than ten million inhabitants are indirectly associated with this socio-economic development of the country. 7. Prevailing Situation in RMG Sector. Bangladesh’s textile industry is going through one of the toughest period in decades. Lately, the Bangladeshi Ready-Made Garments Industry is creating headlines in national and international media for the various reasons – massive factory fire, lack of safety measures in work environment, low wages, worker exploitation, etc. In fact, Clothes dyed in blood said by the foreign investors. Over 5000 workers have died in factory fires and other accidents since inception of this sector notably Ashulia unrest, Tazreen garments, Rana Plaza etc. Difficulties Faced by Ready-Made Garments Sector 8. Domestic Level. a. Lack of Modernize Equipment. The inability to timely modernize the equipment and machinery has led to the decline of Bangladesh textile competitiveness. Due to obsolete technology the cost of production is higher in Bangladesh as compared to other countries like India, Pakistan and china. . Safety Problems. Different safety issues especially regarding fire, the carelessness of the factory management and for their arrogance hamper the working environment very much. c. Problems Linked to the Workers. (1)Lack of Knowledge and Skill. There are some problems related to the workers of this sector lack of training organizations for industrial workers, supervisors and managers, absence of easily on-hand middle management, etc. Also most of the illiterate women workers employed in garments are unskilled and so their products often become lower in quality. 2)Wages. Wages in Bangladesh’s apparel industry have been lower than other sector. The average monthly wage of skilled RMG factory workers was 1. 4 to 2 times lower than that of similar factory workers in the textile and other sectors by 30. d. Financial Crisis. (1)Finance Bill. The provisions of Finance Bill 2012-2013 have the provisions like reintroduction of 0. 5% minimum tax on domestic sales, withholding tax on import of textile and articles etc. This would invite unavoidable liquidity problem. (2)Raw Material Prices. Prices of cotton and other raw material used in textile industry fluctuate rapidly in Bangladesh. Due to increase in the cost of production the demand for export and home as well decreased which result in terms of downsizing of a firm. e. Energy Crisis. As a consequence of electricity load shedding the textile production capacity of various sub-sectors has been reduced by up to 30 per cent. Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation (BTMC) claimed that 60 to 70 per cent of the industry had been affected due to gas load-shedding. Thus the cost of production has risen. . Political Unrest and Social Crisis. Garments industries often pay dearly for political unrest, hartal and terrorism etc. The current political turmoil will lead garment industry to lose out to South and Southeast Asian competitors, including India. Exports and even manufacture of readymade garments have suffered due to the rail-road-port blockade that marked last two months of agitation and also labor disturbances and freque nt disruptions in the Chittagong port remain a source of concern to the apparel exporters. 9. Global Level. a. Lack of New Investment. The unpredictable internal conditions of Bangladesh cause a rapid decrease in foreign investment in textile industry. Due to obsolete textile machineries RMG will require high new investments to stand in competition. b. Lead Time. Lead time refers to the time required for supplying the ordered garment products after the export order has been received. The average lead time is 90-120 days for woven garment firms and 60-80 days for knit garment firms. In China, the average lead time is 40-60 days and 50-60 days for woven and knit products respectively. . Effect of Global Recession. Bangladesh is developing economy in the world, and one of the lowest in terms of the dollar. Bangladesh is actually a very economically diverse country with boasting industries of textiles, agriculture, etc. The recent global recession cause textile product to cut down locally and internationally as well. Plausible Solutions of Difficulties 10. Domestic Level. a. Backward Linkage Development and Capacity Bui lding. This important area needs serious attention for necessary development. Bangladesh needs to produce textile items competitively at home through the establishment of backward linkage with the RMG industry (Composite textile mills). As part of the capacity building some dire issues must be addressed like, management labor conflict, proper management policy, efficiency of the manager and worker, gender discrimination, maintainable time schedule for the product, etc. b. Improvement of Working Environment. Bangladesh needs to concentrate on improving the working environment by establishing HR or PM units throughout the RMGI. Other prerequisites include fair labour practices, suitable building codes for improving health and safety, comprehensive labour legislation and regulation, stricter enforcement of factory laws and more effective procedures for ensuring compliance with them, and effective monitoring mechanisms. c. Finance and Tariff. Bangladesh government should initiate various policy measures such as rationalization of tariffs and taxes on imports of capital machinery, raw materials, dyes and chemicals, and reduction of interest on long- and short-term loans. This will ultimately help to have significant flow of investment both in terms of finance and technology. d. Stable Social and Political Environment. Bangladesh government should initiate various measures such as increase wage, leave the RMG sector out of political crisis to stable the social and political environment in the country. Otherwise RMG will lose the foreign entrepreneurs and their investment. 11. Global Level. a. Reducing Lead Time. Shortening the lead time is the most urgent priority task for Bangladesh. The best way to do that is to develop domestic backward linkages with the aim of reducing â€Å"production and distribution† time. Also by establishing a central or common bonded warehouse in the private sector we can reduce the lead time. b. Product Upgrading and Diversification and Market Diversification. Product upgrading and diversification and market diversification are the next priority tasks for Bangladesh in order to diversify risks and to increase its market share. Bangladesh needs to diversify its markets to include Japan, Australia and other important international markets. c. Specialized Technical and Marketing Research. RMG is highly fashion oriented and constant market research is necessary to become successful in the business. BGMEA has already established an institute which offers bachelor’s degree in fashion designing and BKMEA is planning on setting up a research and training institute. Conclusions 12. The Ready-Made Garments (RMG) industry occupies a unique position in the Bangladesh economy. It is the largest exporting industry in Bangladesh, which experienced phenomenal growth during the last 25 years. By taking advantage of an insulated market under the provision of Multi Fibre Agreement (MFA) of GATT, it attained a high profile in terms of foreign exchange earnings, exports, industrialization and contribution to GDP within a short span of time. The industry plays a key role in employment generation and in the provision of income to the poor. Nearly two million workers one directly and more than ten million inhabitants are indirectly associated with the industry. The sector has also played a significant role in the socio-economic development of the country. 13. Bangladesh’s exports are heavily concentrated in the RMG sector, which has been a main driver of growth and poverty reduction The challenge is therefore to improve competitiveness, both in the RMG sector and economy wide, and diversify exports. Garment industry in Bangladesh has been facing multidimensional problems since its establishment. Acute power crisis followed by non-tariff restriction, chronic labor unrest, lack of infrastructural facilities, inadequate supply of material and accessories, inability or lack of efforts to diversify the products and markets, irregularities relating to customs, bond, and the cost of production significantly. Due to power shortage shipments are sent through air, thereby increasing its cost. 14. To remain competitive in the post-MFA phase, Bangladesh needs to remove all the structural impediments in the transportation facilities, telecommunication network, and power supply, management of seaport, utility services and in the law and order situation. The government and the RMG sector would have to jointly work together to maintain competitiveness in the global RMG market. Given the remarkable entrepreneurial initiatives and the dedication of its workforce, Bangladesh can look forward to advancing its share of the global RMG market. Recommendations 15. Basing on the paper, following recommendations are made to meet the challenges of RMG sector locally and globally: a. Market diversification through exploring and penetrating into new prospective markets. Product diversification through producing and exporting non-traditional and high value apparels. b. Backward linkage development through producing raw materials locally, while reducing dependence on import of the same. c. Institutional and procedural reform through revision of government policies and management of garments sector by a separate government agency.

The Shifting Actions of a Rising Government essays

The Shifting Actions of a Rising Government essays During the late 1880s and early 1900s many struggling groups of people went to the government to gain support on improving their economic or social status. It was federal or judicial actions that either stood in the way of progress or helped to make the progress that these groups of people believed that they deserved. This is the case with both the African Americans and the workers of the time. Both of these groups were being detained from the goals that they strived for or given help from the government and its laws. Although the Civil War had been over for many years, African Americans still seemed to be suffering from the discrimination they received. However, there were many African Americans who stood up for their culture and strived to change things. After the Civil War, white southerners were back in the political seat, and daily discrimination towards blacks grew largely. Separation between blacks and whites developed during the 1890s into systematic state-level legal codes of segregation. These laws soon became known as the Jim Crow laws. In 1896 the Supreme Court validated the South's segregationist social order in the Plessy vs. Ferguson case. This case ruled that "separate but equal" facilities were constitutional under the 14th Amendment, which stated, "equal protection." However, in reality there was no equal part to the segregation of blacks and whites. One place they were separated unequally was in schools. With most of the African American population in the South and ma ny being illiterate, the education of black children suffered greatly. The federal government seemed to want to do nothing about this situation and a man by the name of Booker T. Washington helped to promote African American education in the South. Another man, Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois had a great deal of influence on the political issue of black-white equality. He demanded that blacks have complete equalityboth socially and economically. ...

The Anterior Tibial Artery Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Anterior Tibial Artery - Case Study Example It appears that the acute swelling that has resulted may be due to rupture of an artery; most likely the Anterior Tibial Artery. If my friend is not taken to a hospital immediately, there is a possibility of developing a hypotensive shock due to extravasation of blood with the passage of time. Therefore emergency help should be immediately sought. Involvement of an artery should definitely be included in the differential diagnosis of this case. The artery that is most likely to get affected is the anterior tibial artery. Its patency can be evaluated by palpating the pulse of dorsal pedis artery, which is one of the peripheral branches of the anterior tibial artery (Casserly et al.   253). A similar symptom profile consisting of altered sensation in between the first and second toe, pulseless dorsal pedis, swelling, and pain are evident in the condition known as anterior compartment syndrome, which should, therefore, be included in the differential diagnosis of this case (Slobounov 332).â€Æ'

Annotated bibliography Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Annotated bibliography - Assignment Example rch, I have examined various sources that contain valuable insights about the business model and management structure of Wal-Mart, one of the most successful companies in the world. One of the best journals done on this company, which I have found to be very reliable as far as understanding the company include, â€Å"Wal-Mart and Values: Painting the Town Red?,† which was done by Carden Art, Charles Courtemanche and Jeremy Meiners. This journal gives an analysis into the business empire developed by Wal-Mart. It examines the values and principles that have made the Wal-mart business, enabling it to become of the most successful companies in the world. The journal gives the business model that the company boosts of, which has helped the company in its business growth and expansion across many countries in America and Europe. According to the authors of this journal, the company has a wide clientele, appealing to both the high end and low end citizens. The company offers goods that are affordable coming in various ranges like electronics, food items among others. The journal gives the strategies and approaches being used in the company’s expansion program. Hellen has taken time to explain about the growth path which Walmart has taken in its growth in Canada as well as in most other countries not only in America but across Europe. Hellen explains that Walmart has embarked on establishing 11 new departmental stores that will help improve its competitive advantage and market position. The Canadian market has been thought to be quite productive, considering that the country does not have many large stores that can match those that Walmart has established in the United States. The author explains that the branches that had been established earlier have continued to perform outstandingly because of the effective management. One of these retail stores includes Bentonville, which is the Arkansas-base retail shop that is part of the first to be established by the

Food Nation Essay Example for Free

Food Nation Essay Food connotes more than just an intake to be able to sustain life. It is a reflection of a myriad of culture existing in a society. Looking at food, one can see its various fusions of cultural identities prepared to satisfy one’s appetite. Food is a perfect example of a world that enters into the process of globalization where nations embrace the flow of cultural exchange. Countries such as the United States and Italy are known for having diverse demographics. The diversity of its population brought influences into their food as well. However, although both countries may have fused each other’s culture into their food, there are still differences which make them distinct from each other such as how they handle and view food. The United States is one of the largest countries when it comes to its size and population. It has a wide variety of immigrants which flowed starting from the nineteenth century and as its population continues to grow, its culture has been as dynamic as its food (Counihan, 2002, p. 26). Large part of these immigrants later joined the American workforce as every parent became employed. The absence of either the mother or the father at home veered the majority of the population away from home-cooked meals. Eating out became an alternative for families to have their meals together and eating out means buying food from a restaurant (Schlosser, 2001, p. 4). From this concept of eating outside the confines of a home, the fast food world was born. The term â€Å"fast-food† refers to a speedy availability of food, further described as a â€Å"provision of limited, standard menu with quick service† (Royle Towers, 2002, p. 190). Fast food became not just a way to fill skipped meals at home but it turned out to be a lifestyle. The United States initially became known for its fast food because of the rise of popular food chains such as McDonald’s and Burger King. Its convenience of having ready-made food suits the lifestyle of people especially those who go to work early and go home late. Since there are a large number of working people in the United States, they flock to these restaurants to eat. Foods are being prepared in bulks to anticipate the huge numbers of customers. Most ingredients provided are delivered frozen. Cooking methods involved one or a couple of processes to guarantee its speed. Assembling ingredients in a line system like burger patties will be able to cook a dozen of it at the same time (Schlosser, 2001, p. 69). Some of the food ingredients only require adding hot water and it’s ready for preparation. Fast foods are usually packed in paper wraps, foil, and cartons. The materials of these wrappings are disposable which suites the people on-the-go to eat the food wherever they are. Despite the convenience brought about by fast food, healthier ingredients are being given up. As previously mentioned, ingredients are frozen which indicates that these are not fresh and devoid of its natural healthy components with much more added fats. Since Americans are busy with work with no time to prepare food for them, fast food becomes the next available fast option. Italians, on the other hand, became the center of what should be a counterpart of fast food. A country rich in culture, its food gained renowned identity throughout the world. Just like in the United States, Italian food is a lifestyle. It is a lifestyle which extends to close interaction with families and friends in a laid-back environment dining and drinking wine (Parasecoli, 2004, p. xii). The relaxed atmosphere among most Italian household can be seen as a break from the political and social unrest that reign the Italian state during history. Italian food is famous for the cheese, the wine, and the pasta. Made from a wide array of sea foods, vegetables, and meat; Italian food is prepared picking up the fresh ingredients and served as a craft of art. Ricotta, for example, is bought by locals straight from a shepherd on the day it is made (Harrison, 1989, p. 17). Italians regard their food not just as an energy provider but as a â€Å"medicine for the soul, one of life’s abiding pleasures† (Harrison, 1989, p. 17). Most of the Italian foods are cooked in accordance with traditions and the food preparation varies from the different regions of Milan and Florence (Harrison, 1989, p. 143). Taking this traditional view of Italian cuisine, a movement was established to retain not just the traditional cooking of the Italians but also all traditional cuisines of the world. The Slow Food movement is originally established as a counterpart of fast food. The idea of this movement is to make food from â€Å"scratch in your own kitchen† (Kummer, Cushner, Schlosser, 2002, p. 10) rather than the processed artificial food at fast food chains. Just like Italian food, the movement aims to take food as a pleasurable experience offered by life in contrary to fast foods (Pollan, 2008, p. 194). The Slow Movement suggests making food out of ingredients that are ideally grown in the backyard or farms, harvested, and cooked with other natural recipes. The people who eat the foods are not only consumers but co-producers as well. Just like the Italian food, this movement also promotes the pleasure of food eaten and shared communally (Pollan, 2006, p. 259). Though this movement proved to be promising, some may say that in contrast with fast-food, the Slow Food Movement is more expensive to obtain and to do. Since fast-food is more accessible and cheaper, the movement has been tagged as elitist and cannot be afforded by ordinary people (Kummer, et al. , p. 10). By its term of â€Å"slow-food,† this may not suit the lifestyle of most people coming from the working class due to the lack of time for food preparation. United States and Italy vary from the way they live their life with food. Though nowadays, some of their own cuisines have been inspired from one another. Their views of food have a huge gap as the two nations came from different backgrounds and developed cultures that set them apart from each other. Their cuisine style and food preparation became significant in the world today and though different in principles, people enjoy it nonetheless. References Counihan, C. (2002). Food in the USA: A Reader. New York: Routledge. Harrison, B. G. (1989). Italian Days.New York: Atlantic Monthly Press. Kummer, C. , Cusner, S. , Schlosser, E. (2002). The Pleasures of Slow Food: Celebrating Authentic Traditions, Flavors, and Recipes. USA: Chronicles Books. Parasecoli, F. (2004). Food Culture in Italy. Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Pollan, M. (2008). In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. New York: The Penguin Press. Royle, T. Towers, B. (2002). Labour Relations in the Global Fast-Food Industry. New York: Routledge. Schlosser, E. (2001). Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York: Houghton Mifflin Books.

Roger Williams and his Attack on Puritanism Essay -- American America

Roger Williams and his Attack on Puritanism During the seventeenth century a group of Christians split off from the Anglican Church of England and formed their own theology know as Puritanism. The Puritans were made up of the middle-class teachers, lawyers, merchants, clergy, and parliament members. Joshua Miller explains how the Puritans, "equated the church with the body of Christ;" and further states that, "to admit everyone, even open and unrepentant sinners, to the church was to pollute Christ's body" (Miller 59). The Church of England corruption of this body was the main reason for the great "Puritan Migration" during the seventeenth centry, along with the fact that the King refused to convene parliament at the time causing an uprising against the Throne of England. [1] The Puritans were cast out by King Charles of England and sent to the Americas to start a new colony of their own. The Puritans came to the Americas with a set idea of union between church and state. In the patent given to the Puritans by the King a selct few men were given the power to make laws without consent of the commonwealth and allowed to confiscate lands from the natives. Roger Williams a man who openly opposed these kinds of injustices committed by Puritan leaders like John Cotton and John Winthrop. A Puritan that had turned Separatist, Roger Williams wanted no part of the tainted Church of England. Separatists completely severed ties with the Anglican Church and formed their own denomination with their own theology and system of beliefs. Williams' separatist views did not sit well with the Puritans and as a result he paid the price for his open rebellion against the Puritan acts in New England. The Puritan church and government banis... ... his radical religious beliefs and his liberal political views which now live on in present day society. Works Cited 1.Covey, Cyclone. The Gentle Radical A Biography of Roger Williams. New York: MacMillan Company, 1966. 2. Greene, Theodore P. Roger Williams and the Massachusetts Magistrates. Boston: 1876. -Dexter, Henry M. As to Roger Williams and His 'Banishment' from the Massachusetts Plantation. Boston: 1976. - Knowles, James D. Memoir of Roger Williams. - Williams, Roger. "Mr. Cotton's letter Lately Printed, Examined and Answered." Narragansett Club. Providence: 1866. - Winthrop, John. "Winthrop's Journal." Original Narratives of Early American History. New York: 1908 Vol. 1 3. Miller, Joshua. "Direct Democracy and the Puritan Theory of Membership." Journal of Politics. Vol. 53 Issue1 Feb. 1991 pp. 59. Jstor June 3, 2000.

Occupational Medicine Essay

Asbestos is a mineral that is crystalline in nature and that has high degrees of durability, flexibility and resistance to corrosion by chemicals and heat. Asbestos is commonly used for making building materials for example floor tiles, ceilings, asbestos cement products, fireproofing material and insulation products, gaskets, coatings, textile products and automotive brakes. Shipbuilders use asbestos for insulation of hot water pipes, steam pipes and boilers. Globally, the incidence of disease related to asbestos is expected to peak around 30 to 40 years following the period when there was peak usage (CDC, 2003). Many of the patients who have lung disease related to asbestos have a history of exposure, often this history is strong but there are occasions when significant disease occurs in patients who have had minimal exposure and sometimes even with unknown exposure (Oreilly et al, 2007). Asbestos fibres are often expelled after an individual has swallowed or inhaled them, however not all the fibres are expelled. Some are left in the lungs and remain lodged there permanently. Upon accumulation they cause scarring of lung tissue and inflammation too. This then results in lung disease which affects breathing and air exchange (Solicitor advice, 2007). When inhaled, asbestos fibres leads to a variety of conditions, among these being lung cancer, pleural plaques, asbestosis, malignant mesothelioma and benign pleural effusion among others. Patients present with these conditions related to asbestos exposure long after they have been exposed. The latent period from the time of exposure to the manifestation of the clinical disease is very long. Initially the signs and symptoms are not specific and therefore occupational history becomes a good guide to suspicions that the clinician may have. Risk factors for development of lung disease related to asbestos include exposure to asbestos such as in occupations like construction workers, shipyard workers, boilermakers and rail road workers. Minimizing and avoiding further exposure are important in reducing further damage when one has been diagnosed with the asbestos related disease. Patients who smoke have an even higher risk of developing these conditions making cessation of smoking an essential factor in reducing risk (Oreilly, McLaughlin and Beckett, 2007). The risk increases with the duration of smoking, therefore it is necessary to stop smoking and also avoid second hand smoke through passive smoking. Smokers who have been exposed to asbestos have a greater predisposition to development of lung cancer than those exposed to asbestos who are non-smokers. For a long time Australia has lagged behind other countries such as the UK and the USA in terms of regulation and legislation concerning asbestos related disease and worker’s compensation. This was the case especially in the I970s when the there were few common law claims by victims of asbestos related lung disease even in situations where the conditions resulted from negligence by the asbestos industries (Formato and Gordon, 2007). This was despite the fact that there was a considerable increase in the number of people suffering from mesotheliomas among those working in Wittenoom for ABA Limited, a company that mined and milled asbestos. Some of the obstacles facing the claimants were overwhelming and it is highly probable that the Statute of Limitations was a barring factor for most of these claims. In addition getting hold of company information was also very difficult and often the corporate end withheld information from the claimants and their legal advisers. Presently, Postal, Defence and Telecommunications employees and other government employees are covered by a no fault benefit scheme referred to as Comcare Australia. The entitlements under this scheme are such that the employee is required to choose between compensation entitlements under the Common Law Damages or under the Comcare Act. One of the most significant barriers under the Comcare Act is the complexity of the legislative framework. Not until the government agency has received the claim for purposes of determination and then reconsideration can one get into a court or a tribunal (Formato and Gordon, 2007). The laws for compensation show some variance from one State to another. In a general sense, however compensation claims can be made under common law for a variety of reasons. These include, medical (these include expenses for hospitalization and treatment) and pharmaceutical expenses for the past and the future, for pain and suffering and for loss of the capacity to earn an income as well as for loss of income (Solicitor advice, 2007). The courts also award compensation for other things such as domestic assistance costs for the future and the past as well as damages for loss of life expectancy (Solicitor advice, 2007). When making a claim for damages it is best to make the claim as early as possible upon diagnosis of the condition. This helps one to avoid the barriers that come with the statute of limitations on period. For latent conditions such as those related to asbestos, the period may be extended but even then it is best to act soon. For a long time in Western Australia, victims of asbestos related disease could only hope to receive worker’s compensation entitlements. This is because though claims for common law damages were available the tendency was that they were not pursued. The common law claims were faced with the rather harsh and extreme statute of limitations period. It had no provisions for extension beyond six years. There have however been amendments that were introduced which have made it a little less difficult to make claims for diseases related to asbestos. There have however been restrictions on common law claims seeking damages for negligence amongst employers. This was previously unrestricted for all employees not just victims of asbestos related disease. In New South Wales, the compensation scheme for workers is Workcover NSW. The Dust Diseases Board is where Dust Diseases workers can make their claims. A specialist tribunal for dust diseases was set up to hear claims for asbestos related disease. Amendments were later made that did away with the statute of limitations in issues of dust disease. Other amendments included legislation on survivorship where in case a victim passes on before a claim is resolved, the damages are entitled to his/her family (Formato and Gordon, 2007). In all the other states (Victoria, South Australia and Queensland) each state has its own act for worker’s compensation and provisions for limitations. For instance Victoria allows for trial by jury in claims for damages under common law. It has also followed the New South Wales in legislation on survivorship. Only Western Australia has its special court for claims for asbestos related disease. However, there are processes that have evolved for the purpose of fast tracking those claims that are urgent. In determining the risk posed by exposure a history of environmental and occupational exposure is necessary. Some of the issues that need to be established include the specific occupation, how long the person worked at the same occupation and how much (intensity) exposure there was, an example here would be whether the dust was visible or not. Significant exposure is defined as a minimum of several months of exposure to exposure to visible dust that started ten years before (Wagner, 1997). Physical assessment of the patient to determine exposure to asbestos includes a history of occupation and physical signs and symptoms of disease as well as laboratory investigation of the chest by x-ray or CT scan. In this client’s case the history for significant exposure has already been established by the fact that he worked in mining and mixing of asbestos for a period of five years. In addition another identified risk factor is the fact that he used to smoke where he increased his susceptibility to asbestos related lung disease. History also includes the patients reports of exertional dyspnea, Assessment also includes chest spirometry to determine lung function and how much lung function may have been compromised by the condition. Any abnormal results in chest spirometry are followed by pulmonary function tests which involve measuring lung volumes and diffusion capacity. These are also performed in those patients found to have abnormal findings on imaging. Assessment will begin with a head to toe assessment of the client. This will involve checking for signs of poor tissue perfusion as a result of inadequate oxygen uptake by the tissues when lung function of ventilation and air exchange has been compromised. Some of these include finger clubbing and bluish lips. Other symptoms that the patient may report include shortness of breath, tightness around the chest, pain in the chest, dry crackling sounds when breathing in, a cough that is productive and persistent and loss of appetite. These presenting symptoms are however non-specific and generally indicate pathology of the respiratory system. Consequently other methods are used to determine asbestos exposure. Signs of exposure to asbestos include formation of plaque, changes in the pleura of the lungs (thickening) and collection of fluid around the lungs (Betterhealth, 2007). Bodies of asbestos can be identified by a use of a staining technique using a special iron. This confirms actual exposure to asbestos. Formation of pleural plaques is one of the most common responses of the respiratory system to asbestos inhalation with plaques occurring in up to fifty per cent of people exposed to asbestos. They are consequently used as a measure of exposure to asbestos (Boffetta, 2004). These plaques may sometimes not be visible on chest radiography and this leads to the requirement for high resolution CT-scans which have the capacity to identify up to fifty per cent of the plaques that will be found on autopsy. CT scans are commonly used when there is diagnostic uncertainty or for the purpose of making confirmatory tests (Boffetta, 2004). The plaques developed from exposure to asbestos characteristically occur on the lateral walls of the chest and sometimes may occur on the domes of the diaphragm. This causes lung expansion to be impaired making air entry difficult and may account for the chest tightness and chest pain. A computed tomographic scan of the chest helps to demonstrate further the remodelling that may occur as a result of lung tissue destruction. This leads to a decrease in the exchange of oxygen. To diagnose carcinoma of the bronchus a surgical biopsy is required which is done under anaesthesia. From this metastatic cells can be detected. Other methods that can be sued include bronchoscopy, mediastinoscopy and CT scan. This will serve as a confirmatory test for the signs and symptoms which may have been reported by the patient which include, unexplained weight loss, breathlessness, bronchitis that is recurrent, chest pain, blood streaked phlegm, recurrent chest infections or pneumonia and a persistent or changed cough or wheeze (Betterhealth, 2007). The detection of asbestos in the lungs of this patient is important because it means that then the cause of his lung carcinoma can be associated with asbestos and not only cigarette smoking since some of his symptoms are indicative of asbestos exposure. Measurement of the plaques will also assist in proving this link even further since most plaques are an indication of asbestosis-related disease. Clinically, lung cancers associated with asbestos and smoking alone are generally indistinguishable but the risk for lung cancer is increased in smokers (Liddell, 2001). Asbestos and cigarette smoke have an effect of synergism in the causation of lung cancer and in the patient ‘s case his accumulated pack years of cigarette smoking led to the increased risk for asbestos related disease (Hodgson and Darnton, 2006). In lodging his claim for damages the patient will have to present information on treatment that he has undergone as well as the results for all diagnostic tests related to the condition. This will help to make his case stronger as they will provide an indication of the costs of treatment, medication and also the effect of losing means of earning an income to his life and that of his family.