Exposure to silica dust
What you need to know
Do you work in manufactured stone, tunnelling, foundry work or the civil and domestic construction industry (including work involving building products such as stone concrete, bricks and tiles)?
When products or materials containing silica are cut, ground, sanded or drilled, a very fine dust is created. This dust is harmful when inhaled and can lead to silicosis. Prevent exposure, by; providing adequate ventilation, cutting stone with water, using tools with dust capture and collection, cleaning up with a H or M vacuum or water and wearing the right dust mask. Look at the information below to learn about how to stay safe.
What you can do
- Watch this video safety alert to learn how to stay safe when working with silica
- Watch this video as Dr Karl explains how you can help protect yourself and others
- Find out more about how to work safe with silica
- Attend a Queanbeyan on Oct 16 in
- Couldn’t make it to one of our silica events? Watch the video’s here
- Not sure how to keep your workers safe? We can help, request an advisory visit.
Where to get help
Guidance:
- Crystalline Silica technical fact sheet and general fact sheet - view these in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi or Vietnamese
- Safety alerts
- Incident information releases
Codes of practice:
- Managing the risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace
- Preparation of safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals
- Labelling of workplace hazardous chemicals
- Construction work
Safe Work Australia guidance material:
- Working with silica and silica containing products guide
- Crystalline silica - Hazardous Chemicals Requiring Health Monitoring
- Workplace exposure standards for airborne contaminants
- Guidance on the interpretation of workplace exposure standards for airborne contaminants
- Health monitoring for exposure to hazardous chemicals – guide for persons conducting a business or undertaking
- Health monitoring for exposure to hazardous chemicals – guide for workers
- Guide for tunnelling work