Silica dashboard

When not controlled, silica dust is a major hazard for workers in NSW. It can lead to the serious and often fatal lung disease silicosis. As part of SafeWork NSW’s Roadmap for NSW 2022, a five-year chemicals strategy has been developed that calls out silica as a top priority chemical. This dashboard shows what is being done.

Current Silica project status (2017-2022)

Updated: 31 December 2020

Key activities

Launch of the NSW Dust Strategy 2020-2022
Research and successful testing of a Real time silica dust detection device has been completed with a commercial product available by December 2021
Developed – Video Safety Alerts on safe cutting of bricks and concrete that contain silica
In language information on Silica is available at Translated Resources
View the Video safety alert – Crystalline Silica Dust Safety

Workplace visits

1340

Workplace visits

Silica-related

Descriptive image of State of New South Wales and a magnifying glass

755

Manufactured stone visits

502

Construction workplace visits

Other industries

An icon of a drill
includes tunnelling, manufacturing, foundries and stonemasons

Notices

Descriptive image showing a notice with a pen and piece of paper

820

Improvement notices

Prohibition notices

Issued for uncontrolled exposure to silica dust

On the spot fines

Issued for uncontrolled dry cutting

Exposure standard exceeded*

Notices where control measures not confirmed as meeting 0.05mg/m³

Manufactured stone = 15
Construction = 5

*commenced 1 July 2020

Cases identified

Silicosis cases

27*

2020-21

*as at 31 Dec 2020

18 cases were notified by iCare
9 cases were notified by other medical professionals.

107

2019-20

2018-19

2017-18

Notification of a silicosis diagnosis

From 1 July 2020, all medical practitioners must notify NSW Health when they diagnose a case of silicosis in NSW.

Demographic overview

100% of cases are males
Australian born workers represented the highest amount of cases where the country of birth could be identified

Country of birth
Age group of workers

Afghanistan	1
Australia	8
China	1
Croatia	1
Greece	1
Lebanon	2
Malaysia	2
New Zealand	1
Serbia	1
Yugoslavia	1
United Kingdom	1
Not identified	7

<30	1
31-40	5
41-50	6
51-60	6
61-70	1
71-80	4
81-90	4

Workplace overview

Highest number of reported cases by industry - manufactured stone (12), followed by tunneling (6)
Highest number of reported cases by occupation - stonemason (11)

Type of industry
Type of occupation

Tunnelling	6
Clay/brick	1
Plumber	1
Concrete products	1
Construction / labourer	2
Demolition	1
Gravel/ sand quarrying	1
Manufactured stone	12
Foundry	1
Metal fabrication	1

Builder/labourer	3
Carpenter	1
Excavator operator	2
Foreman	1
Foundry	1
Plant operator	1
Plumber	1
Stonemason	12
Tiler	1
Tunnel support	1
Retired	2
Not identified	2

Health overview

Chronic cases 22 (out of 27*)
A total of 10 cases have lung impairment of 0%-5%
In the early stages of silicosis, workers are usually asymptomatic

% Lung impairement
Type of silicosis

0-5%	10
6-10%	2
11-15%	3
16-20%	1
21-25%	0
26-30%	2
31%-35%	0
36%-40%	1
>40%	4
Not provided	4

Acute Exposure less than 1 year	1
Accelerated Exposure over 1 to 10 years (usually 3-10)	2
Chronic Exposure for more than 10 years	22
Not determined	2

Reducing exposure to hazardous chemicals and materials Project 2017-2022

Respirable Crystalline Silica (silica) is identified as one of the Top 2 Chemicals which pose the greatest risk to workers in NSW (the other being Formaldehyde). Aligned to SafeWork NSW’s Roadmap for NSW 2022, this project aims to achieve a 30% reduction in serious injuries and illnesses by 2022, in relation to dust exposure. Key components of the project are Awareness and Education, Inspector Visits and Compliance, Legislation and Research into best practice approaches to harm prevention.

Action taken on uncontrolled cutting, grinding or drilling of silica products or materials

From 1 July 2020:

the workplace exposure standard (WES) for silica has been reduced to 0.05mg/m3 (eight-hour time-weighted average)
on-the-spot fines apply for uncontrolled cutting, grinding, drilling and polishing of manufactured stone
silicosis became a notifiable condition by all medical practitioners to NSW Health
on-the-spot fines apply for PCBUs failing to notify SafeWork NSW of an adverse health monitoring report

Uncontrolled cutting, grinding or drilling of products or materials containing crystalline silica can generate hazardous levels of airborne dust. Breathing in this dust, usually over several years, can lead to serious and fatal lung diseases such as silicosis. You must use water, dust extraction systems on portable tools, or adopt other methods that eliminate or minimise the generation of silica dust. Inspectors can issue prohibition notices to stop you from doing work that generates high levels of silica dust. If you don't comply with a prohibition notice, PCBUs (employers) can face penalties up to $100,000.

If you are a fabricator or installer of manufactured stone products e.g. kitchen benchtops you must:

use saws, grinders and polishers with an integrated water supply to minimise the amount of dust generated
ensure workers wear half face piece reusable or disposable respirators as a minimum, that comply with the Australian Standard 1716:2012 Respiratory Protective Devices
use on-tool dust capture shrouds or water to control dust generated during any work required during on site installation.

Failure to use these controls for fabricating or installing manufactured stone can result in an on the spot fine of $3,600.

More information

Learn more about crystalline silica (SafeWork NSW)
Find out about SafeWork NSW"s Dust strategy 2020-2022
SafeWork NSW's Roadmap 2022
Notification of a silicosis diagnosis: information advising that all medical practitioners must notify NSW Health when they diagnose a case of silicosis in NSW. Information for medical practitioners, businesses and workers.