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e-Toolkit

Silicosis and dust-related diseases

A note from our CEO
Section I: Taking action to eliminate silicosis and dust-related diseases
Ideal management approaches
Current challenges and uncertainties
National action plans and strategies for silicosis/dust diseases
Potential issues arising from action
Section II: Country summaries, case studies and resources
Silica country summaries – Australia
Silica country summaries – International
Pneumoconiosis case studies
Research on silicosis and dust-related diseases
Section III: What silica and other occupational dusts are and the risks they pose
Mineralogical features of silica
Other dust/fume-related exposures
Exposure pathways
Historical progression of silica and other dust-related diseases
Section IV: Health impacts of exposure to asbestos
What are dust/fume-related diseases?
How are dust-related diseases diagnosed?
Clinical features of silicosis and other dust-related diseases
Patient support, care and information
Reporting, coding and registration of occupational dust-related diseases

Prevention at the national or regulatory level

Australia – Model Code of Practice

Managing Risks of Respirable Crystalline Silica in the Workplace

Safe Work Australia has published the National Code of Practice on managing the risks of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) in the workplace, as an approved code of practice under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.

In Australia, an approved code of practice provides practical guidance on how to achieve the standards of work health and safety required under the WHS Act and the Work Health and Safety Regulations (the WHS Regulations) and effective ways to identify and manage risks.

The information in this Code may assist duty holders, such as officers, principal contractors, workers and their health and safety representatives (HSR), designers, manufacturers, importers and suppliers.

Australia’s ban on engineered stone

On 1 July 2024, the Commonwealth of Australia and all states and territories implemented amendments to the model WHS Regulations to make it an offence for a PCBU to carry out, or to direct or allow a worker to carry out, work involving the manufacture, supply, processing or installation of engineered stone benchtops, panels or slabs.

For the purposes of the model WHS Regulations, engineered stone is defined as an artificial product that:

  • contains at least 1% crystalline silica as a weight/weight concentration, and
  • is created by combining natural stone materials with other chemical constituents (such as water, resins, or pigments), and
  • becomes hardened.

Engineered stone does not include:

  • concrete and cement products
  • bricks, pavers, and other similar blocks
  • ceramic wall and floor tiles
  • sintered stone (provided it does not contain resin)
  • porcelain products (provided they do not contain resin)
  • roof tiles
  • grout, mortar, and render, and
  • plasterboard.

On 1 January 2025, engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs became prohibited imports under regulation 5M of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956.

References

Safe Work Australia - Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of respirable crystalline silica in the workplace

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Safe Work Australia - Australia’s engineered stone ban

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