Safe Work Australia has published amendments to the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) regulations which, as of 1 September 2024, will strengthen protections for workers at risk of exposure to silica dust across all industries, including building and construction.
The amendments provide stronger regulation of work with all materials containing at least 1% crystalline silica and require:
- controlled processing of all crystalline silica substances
- assessing the risk of work involving processing of a crystalline silica substance, and
- additional duties for any processing of engineered stone that is assessed as high risk, including preparing a silica risk control plan.
Changes to the WHS regulations will only take effect in a jurisdiction once implemented in the WHS laws of the jurisdiction. Note: Victoria has already implemented the stricter controls.
Safe Work Australia has resources available to assist persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) understand and comply with their obligations under the amended regulations, including:
- Working with crystalline silica substances: Guidance for PCBUs, and
- Supporting resources that summarise key concepts including what is silica dust, completing a silica risk control plan and how to control the risks of silica dust.
The guidance provides PCBUs with specific information on:
- their duties to eliminate or minimise the risks of exposure to respirable crystalline silica
- their duties in the management of risks associated with the generation of respirable crystalline silica from processing of crystalline silica substances, and
- additional requirements for managing high risk crystalline silica processes.
Read more: Changes to the regulation of work with crystalline silica substances - Working with crystalline silica substances All information relating to crystalline silica substances can be found on the SWA Be Silica Smart website.