Starting 1 September, new legislation in Australia will enhance safety measures for workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica dust across various industries, as reported by the Australian Workers’ Union.
This update broadens protections beyond the previously targeted engineered stone sector to include an additional 600,000 workers in fields such as road and rail tunnelling, civil construction, quarries, mines, and road maintenance.
The new laws mandate multiple safety control measures for affected workers, including the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), water suppression systems, on-tool extraction systems, and local exhaust ventilation.
Employers in high-risk environments are required to develop and implement a silica risk control plan. Work must cease if these safety protocols are not followed, and companies found in breach of the regulations will face fines.
The legislation also introduces mandatory training for workers to ensure they are adequately informed about silica dust risks and safety measures.
The reforms were agreed upon earlier this year by workplace safety ministers from all states and territories, with similar regulations already in place in Victoria.
Paul Farrow, National Secretary of the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU), expressed his satisfaction with the expanded protections.
“There are over 600,000 workers exposed to deadly crystalline silica dust, and engineered stone benchtops are only part of the story,” Farrow stated.
“We welcome the action taken by state and territory ministers, in conjunction with Safe Work Australia, to protect workers from this hazardous dust.”
Farrow highlighted the AWU’s long-standing efforts to address silica dust risks and urged state governments to adequately resource safety regulators to enforce the new regulations.
“For years, the AWU has been campaigning for legislation to protect workers, and now those building crucial public infrastructure can benefit from these new protections,” he said.
“The AWU will be actively fighting to ensure employers are following the rules from day one,” Farrow noted.
