WorkSafe has issued a safety alert for those who recycle construction and demolition materials, quarries, stonemasons and other who crush rock.
Engineered stone benchtops, panels or slabs must not be processed into crushed rock. Crushing engineered stone for recycling or supply is prohibited.
There are limited exceptions for the ban contained in regulation 319ZB of the OHS Regs – crushing for supply or recycling is not an exception. The ban on the manufacture, supply, processing, installation and crushing for recycling, in place since 1 July 2024 in Victoria, is designed to protect employees from inhaling crystalline silica dust.
The inhalation of crystalline silica dust can cause scarring of the lungs – known as silicosis. It is a very serious and incurable disease that can lead to lung transplants or death. Beathing in silica dust can also cause other serious diseases such as lung cancer, kidney disease, autoimmune diseases and COPD.
When engineered stone products are to be disposed of, they should be disposed as industrial waste and in line with the Environment Protection Authority classification requirements.
Backing up existing bans, from 1 January 2025 the import of engineered stone products will also be prohibited, marking the final step in a national ban on the deadly product.
Read more: Do not crush engineered stone — unless an exception applies | WorkSafe Victoria