WorkSafe has completed 92 unannounced inspections of stone suppliers and manufacturers since Victoria’s engineered stone ban took effect on 1 July.
According to WorkSafe Victoria, the visits have caught out a small number of duty holders: three have now been referred for investigation for suspected supply and processing of engineered stone products in breach of the OHS Regulations.
WorkSafe’s Silica Field Team has also issued 38 compliance notices since July 1, including non-disturbance notices to prevent the supply of engineered stone products. Among a number of potential breaches, inspectors found examples of duty holders copying test results from another product, or simply making up the details on product data sheets.
WorkSafe Executive Director Health and Safety Sam Jenkin said regular inspections would continue to drive home the message that complying with the ban is a legal requirement – not an option.
“Importers, suppliers and manufacturers have had plenty of warning that the engineered stone ban was coming, so ignorance is not an excuse,” Mr Jenkin said. “Processing and manufacturing engineered stone puts workers at risk of developing silicosis – a debilitating and deadly disease that has already impacted hundreds of Victorian workers.”
More than 690 Victorian workers have been diagnosed with silicosis since 2018, including 20 who have sadly lost their lives.
Source: WorkSafe Victoria Read more: Crystalline silica | WorkSafe Victoria OHS Reps Silica