Safe Work Australia says up to 5,000 cancer diagnoses each year could be the result of occupational exposure to carcinogens.

But new research from the Cancer Council, suggests the true number of people exposed to harmful materials at work is much higher.

The experts estimate up to 3.6 million Australians have been exposed to carcinogens at work.

The report - Occupational Exposures to Carcinogens in Australia - found that between 2000 and 2012 there were 4,745 compensation claims made for occupationally related cancers.

This resulted in a total bill of $360.5 million.

But the study found those figures were just a hint of the true scale.

It said less than 8 per cent of cancer cases caused by occupational risk factors had received compensation.

The Cancer Council says this is because of a lack of awareness of occupational risk factors for cancer, along with the inherent difficulties in pinpointing a specific cause.

The authorities estimate that for every mesothelioma diagnosis, there are two other lung cancer cases caused by workplace exposure to asbestos, silica, radiation or other chemicals.

However, the connection is often not made when the worker is also a smoker.

Workplace health and safety authorities may be too focused on more visible risk factors such as working at heights or with heavy machinery, the research suggests.

It means that less obvious risks, such as regular sun exposure and hidden carcinogens in the workplace, can become far more dangerous.

For those diagnosed with a cancer caused by occupational exposure, experts suggest benefits like total and permanent disablement entitlements and income protection can sometimes be accessed through their superannuation fund.