Findings Report: Silica Safety in Construction 2023

Findings report: Silica Safety in Construction 2023

Project Timeframe: 3/10/2023 – 29/3/2024

Visit: 176

Executive Summary

Exposure to harmful substances which includes crystalline silica were called out as a key harm in the SafeWork NSW 2023 regulatory priorities.

During the 2023 project, inspectors observed the need for continued focus on safety when workers are being fitted and tested for close fitted Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE). Some workers had also not been inducted, instructed, or trained (including maintenance and storage) in the safe use of RPE. The application of Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) requires improvement, particularly the implementation of risk controls.

Information, training, and instruction to reduce exposure to silica dust, for example, the use of toolbox talks and inductions, requires improvement. Positively it was identified by Inspectors that when this is provided it is of high quality and focuses on higher-order controls to reduce silica dust exposure. Inspections also found that almost a half of all Principal Contractors (PC) and site supervisors were unaware of their air monitoring responsibilities.

The compliance level was high for RPE being fitted to Australian Standards, the awareness of products and materials containing silica and worker consultation on silica safety.

Inspectors found that earthmoving/excavation, cutting, chiselling, and demolition controls for operators and/or workers were adequate and used consistently, where the highest control was wet cut, dust extraction tools, water suppression, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

This program, also coincided with the ban on engineered stone by the Federal Government, a world-first where certain benchtops, slabs and panels that contain a high percentage of silica, effective from July 1, have been banned from importation into Australia.

Stronger Work Health and Safety regulations of all materials containing crystalline silica commenced from 1 September 2024. These changes apply to all materials containing at least 1% crystalline silica, including engineered stone. Find out more information about engineered stone ban.

Overview

Exposure to crystalline silica dust can lead to the deadly lung disease silicosis.

Crystalline silica is a basic component of soil, sand, and granite and is also found in stone, grout, bitumen, rock, gravel, glass, cement, clay, and engineered stone, all of which are commonly used resources in the construction industry.

Over 400,000 workers in the construction industry are potentially at risk of exposure to silica dust, depending on the type of work they are undertaking.

There are challenges in influencing businesses to prioritise silica dust safety due to:

  • disease latency: silicosis can take many years of exposure to develop, so it does not present the same ‘immediate threat’ as other high-risk harms (falls, injuries from machinery)
  • the sort of silica dust that causes the most damage is invisible to the naked eye, so it may not be as ‘front of mind’ as other high-risk harms.

Language barriers exist for a large percentage of construction workers, so communicating the information in a way that is easily understood is challenging. However, SafeWork NSW is addressing this by ensuring resources are translated in multiple languages.

Key findings and areas of non-compliance

  • 19% of PCBUs had no Safe Work Method Statement to manage the risks associated with silica dust.
  • 47% of principal contractors (PC)/site supervisors were not aware of when they may need to provide air monitoring.
  • 49% of workers had not been fit tested for close fitting Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE).
  • 22% of workers had not been inducted/instructed/trained in safe use of RPE.
  • Occupations most at risk: Bricklayers, labourers, and tilers.

Silica Safety in Construction 2023

The project was delivered in two phases.

Phase one was an educative and awareness approach and involved the delivery of a targeted webinar Inspector Q & A session, social media campaign, targeted stakeholder communications, and updates to webpages.

Safety campaign social analytics

  • 186,625 Facebook impressions
  • 68,316 LinkedIn improressions
  • 202,753 webinar Q&A reach
  • 390 webinar attendees
  • 57,211 Electronic Direct Mail

*An impression is counted each time an ad appears on a website, or social media platform.

Phase two was a workplace visit program including the completion of the Inspector visit checklist.

Types of sites

Inspectors visited 176 sites:

  • commercial - 48
  • demolition - 7
  • house construction - 74
  • infrastructure - 11
  • mid-high rise - 19
  • other* - 17

*Other: Civil, home renovation, driveways, hospital and landscaping.

Notices and fines

Compliance Notices: 142

Inspector site visits approach

The key focus areas of Inspectors during this compliance project were non- tunnelling related construction sites and workers, in particular higher risk trades and occupations such as bricklayers, landscapers, and earth moving operators.

For consistency inspectors were required to gather information guided by a checklist. The checklist was designed to examine practices related to;

  • planning, consultation and communication
  • approaches being used to determine the types of controls to be applied
  • a range of construction site activities including excavation and earthmoving, demolition, dust generating activities such as cutting, grinding, drilling, chiselling, jackhammering and polishing, housekeeping and clean up.
  • working with materials containing silica including bricks, blocks, concrete, pavers, stone, fibre-cement, autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC), tiles and natural stone.

Findings of Inspector site visits

Analysis of the completed inspector checklists revealed the following;

Planning consultation and communication

Is there a safe work method statement to manage the risks associated with silica dust?

  • Yes 81%
  • No 19%

Is the safe work method statement for controlling silica dust adequate?

  • Yes 85%
  • No 15%

Are all of the controls in the safe work method statement being followed?

  • Yes 84%
  • No 16%

Does the PC/site supervisor know if the products or materials on their site contain silica?

  • Yes 91%
  • No 9%

Have workers been consulted on silica dust safety?

  • Yes 89%
  • No 11%

Have workers been provided with information, instruction and training on how to reduce exposure to silica dust?

  • Yes 86%
  • No 14%

If yes, did this information, training, instruction focus on the use of higher order controls to reduce silica exposure?

  • Yes 91%
  • No 9%

Is the PC/site supervisor aware of when they may need to provide air monitoring?

  • Yes 53%
  • No 47%

Excavation and earthmoving

Excavation

Are these earthmoving/excavation controls for operators and/or workers adequate to control the risk of silica dust exposure?

  • Yes 92%
  • No 8%

Are the highest order controls noted above being used consistently across the site?

  • Yes 93%
  • No 7%
  • Highest order of control is using water suppression and while isolated in the enclosed air-conditioned cabin.
  • Earthmoving/excavation controls for operators are adequate and used consistently.

Cutting

Are these cutting, grinding, drilling etc controls adequate to control the risk of workers being exposed to silica dust?

  • Yes 84%
  • No 16%

Is the highest order control for cutting, grinding, drilling etc (as noted above) being used consistently across the site?

  • Yes 82%
  • No 18%
  • Highest order of control is using wet cut and dust extraction tools and PPE.
  • In most cases these are adequate controls and are used consistently but there could be improvement.

Chiselling

Are these chiselling, hand-polishing etc controls adequate to control the risk of workers being exposed to silica dust?

  • Yes 86%
  • No 14%

Is the highest order control for chiselling, hand-polishing etc (as noted above) being used consistently across the site?

  • Yes 89%
  • No 11%
  • Highest order of control is using wet cut and dust extraction tools and PPE.
  • The controls for operators are mostly adequate and used consistently.

Demolition

Are these demolition controls adequate to control the risk of workers being exposed to silica dust?

  • Yes 89%
  • No 11%

Are the highest order controls for demolition (as noted above) being used consistently across the site?

  • Yes 84%
  • No 16%
  • Highest order of control is using water suppression exclusion zones and RPE.
  • Demolition controls are adequate and used consistently.

Housekeeping and clean-up

Are these housekeeping and clean up controls adequate to control the risk of workers being exposed to silica dust?

  • Yes 88%
  • No 12%

Is the highest order control for housekeeping and clean up (as noted above) being used consistently across the site?

  • Yes 88%
  • No 12%
  • Highest order of control is class M Vacuum followed by RPE.
  • Housekeeping controls are mostly adequate and used consistently.

Respiratory Protective Devices (RPE)

Is it certified to Australian Standard 1716?

  • Yes 97%
  • No 3%

Have workers been fit tested for close fitting RPE? (workers with facial hair should be wearing loose fitting RPE)

  • Yes 51%
  • No 49%

Have workers been inducted/instructed/trained (including maintenance and storage) in safe use of RPE?

  • Yes 78%
  • No 22%

Is the RPE appropriately maintained?

  • Yes 93%
  • No 7%

Is the Personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriately stored?

  • Yes 90%
  • No 10%

General observations

At the time of the inspection, did you observe any workers being exposed to uncontrolled silica dust?

  • Yes 13%
  • No  87%

Are there any other high-risk activities taking place at this workplace that are generating silica dust, that have not been captured as part of this checklist?

  • Yes 2%
  • No 98%

Future work

SafeWork will continue to work with major industry stakeholders through its dedicated construction teams to increase awareness, educate, and improve overall safety standards and commitment to on-site silica safety risks.

SafeWork NSW will now focus on the following areas for the next silica safety compliance visits:

  • fit testing for close fitted RPE
  • SWMS, management, risks and controls
  • information and training to reducing exposure to silica dust
  • PC/site supervisor awareness for when to check air quality
  • induction, instruction and training advice in the safe use of RPE
  • bricklayers, labourers, and tiler trades
  • information on dry/tile cutting and workers being exposed uncontrolled silica dust.

Useful resources

Codes of practice

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