Victoria steps up workplace silica protection measures

23 May 2022

New obligations in Victoria aimed at protecting workers from exposure to deadly crystalline silica dust have commenced this month.

Under the changes that came into effect on May 15, businesses working with silica must now identify and document high-risk crystalline silica work and the risk control measures they have in place, WorkSafe Victoria said.

Employers are now also required to provide safety training and instruction to any employees and information to any job applicants who may engage in high-risk crystalline silica work.

Manufacturers and suppliers of products containing crystalline silica must now provide a statement outlining the percentage of crystalline silica in the product, along with information about safe handling and exposure controls.

Businesses in a range of industries, including quarrying, construction and tunnelling, must comply with the changes, which were introduced in November last year as part of the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Crystalline Silica) Regulations 2021.

The regulations extended the ban, first made in 2019, on uncontrolled dry-cutting, grinding and polishing of engineered stone.

And as part of the regulations, businesses working with engineered stone were given 12 months to register for an Australian-first licensing scheme.

WorkSafe Victoria says last year it accepted 73 claims from workers who have developed silica-related disease as a result of workplace exposure and that five have lost their lives after being exposed to the dust.