Crystalline silica

Uncontrolled cutting and grinding of materials containing crystalline silica presents a serious risk to health. Learn how to manage the risks of working with engineered stone products and materials.

Hazardous levels of airborne dust are generated from uncontrolled cutting, grinding or drilling of products or materials containing crystalline silica.

Breathing in this dust, usually over several years, leads to serious and fatal lung disease such as silicosis.

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.

You must use water, dust extraction systems on portable tools, or adopt other methods that eliminate or minimise the generation of silica dust.

If you are a fabricator or installer of engineered stone materials, on-the-spot fines of $3,600 will also be issued for uncontrolled cutting, grinding, drilling and polishing.

Crystalline silica general fact sheet (including translation into Arabic, Chinese (Simplified) and Vietnamese

How to protect yourself and workers

In this video, Dr Karl explains how you can stay safe if you work with engineered stone, concrete, bricks or rock.

Cutting or grinding these materials releases silica dust, which is so small, you might not even know you’re breathing it in. Exposure can lead to silicosis. Which can be fatal within five to 10 years – sometimes for people as young as 20 or 30.  Watch this 60 second video to find out how to stay safe.

Eliminate or substitute the risk

Remove the hazard completely, change the design, replace the hazard with products containing less crystalline silica.

For example, replace engineered stone containing high levels of silica with materials containing no silica or much lower levels of silica.

Isolate the hazard

Isolate workplace areas where dust is generated from other workers, enclose processes, or isolate the hazard from anyone exposed to it.

For example, with barriers.

Engineering controls

Use local exhaust ventilation systems to remove dust at the source and ensure such ventilation is correctly placed and operates at effective flow rates.

Use dust capture systems on tools to reduce dust exposure of mobile workers.

Ensure regular housekeeping in work areas to prevent the accumulation of dust and use H or M class vacuums for safe clean up.

Silica safety in construction

Silica dust is deadly. Use water or dust extraction. Don’t let silica dust cause your last breath.

Check out these construction-specific silica resources, to help make your worksite safe:

Visit the icare website to find out about lung screening services.

Drilling in construction

Construction materials such as sandstone, concrete and bricks can contain up to 90% silica dust. When drilling on these materials, you can generate and breathe in fine crystalline silica dust, which can cause serious illnesses such as silicosis and lung cancer. This helpful video provides advice on planning your job and using the correct safety controls to help protect workers and others from silica dust on site.

View the Arabic version

View the Chinese version

View the Korean version

Resources

Demolition and excavation

Fine crystalline silica dust can be generated when carrying out demolition and excavation work, which can be harmful to breathe in, and can lead to serious and sometimes fatal illness. Exposure to silica dust when drilling materials can be minimised by using the right tools and protective equipment. If you work with a drill or near those who do, watch this video.

View the Arabic version

View the Chinese version

Silica dust – controlled cutting of bricks and concrete using on-tool capture

Silica dust – controlled cutting of bricks and concrete using on-tool capture

On-tool dust capture is an effective way to eliminate and reduce exposure to silica dust. This video safety alert highlights how to use on-tool dust capture to ensure the safe cutting of materials such as bricks and concrete.

Chinese - 使用带集尘装置的电动工具是消除或减少工人接触二氧化硅粉尘的有效方法。这个视频的安全警报重点介绍了如何使用工具上的集尘装置来确保工人可以安全切割砖块或混凝土等材料。

Arabic - استعمال آلات شفط والتقاط الغبار هي طريقة فعالة جداً للتخلص من غبار السيليكا. هذا الفيديو للتوعية عن استعمال هذه الآلات التي تستخدم لقص الأحجار والإسمنت

Silica dust – controlled cutting of bricks and concrete using water

Silica dust – controlled cutting of bricks and concrete using water

Using water to control dust while cutting materials such as brick or concrete is a very effective way to eliminate and reduce exposure to silica dust. This video safety alert highlights how to use water to control dust.

Chinese - 在切割砖块或混凝土等材料时用水抑制粉尘是消除和减少工人接触二氧化硅粉尘的非常有效的方法。该视频安全警报重点介绍了如何用水抑制粉尘。

Arabic - استعمال المياه لإلتقاط الغبار هي طريقة فعالة جداً للتخلص من غبار السيليكا. هذا الفيديو للتوعية عن استعمال المياه خلال قص الأحجار والإسمنت

Administrative controls

Use safe work procedures, minimise the time workers perform higher exposure tasks, alert workers and visitors to danger, and provide information, training and supervision.

PPE

Provide suitable PPE, including a program to correctly fit, instruct on use and ensure regular maintenance of respiratory protective equipment (RPE).

What are we doing about silica and other dust hazards?

The NSW Government released its Dust Strategy 2020-2022 to help reduce the impact of dust diseases on workers.

Visit our silica dashboard to find out what action SafeWork NSW is taking to reduce the impact of silica in the workplace.

Silicosis safety video

Silicosis can kill, but exposure to silica dust is preventable. We're spreading this message by educating workers and the public about the risks of exposure.

You can help protect yourself and others by watching and sharing this video in which Dr Karl explains how you can stay safe if you work with engineered stone, concrete, bricks or rock.

This video is also available in:

Mandatory exposure standards

From 1 July 2020:

  • the workplace exposure standard (WES) for silica is 0.05mg/m3 (eight hour time-weighted average)
  • on-the-spot fines apply for PCBUs failing to notify SafeWork NSW of an adverse health monitoring report.

Notification of silicosis diagnosis

Medical practitioners must notify NSW Health when they diagnose a case of silicosis.

More information on Notification of a silicosis diagnosis.

Health monitoring

PCBUs (employers) must arrange regular health monitoring for workers where exposure to crystalline silica results in a significant risk to their health.

Insurance and Care NSW (iCare) offers subsidised health monitoring (chest X-rays and lung capacity tests) to businesses across NSW through its Lung Screen service.

It may take time for signs and symptoms of silicosis to develop and be identified during health monitoring.

A single clear health monitoring report does not mean a worker won't develop silicosis in the future.

It also doesn't demonstrate their work practices are effective at controlling exposure to respirable crystalline silica.

For this reason, workers exposed to crystalline silica presenting a significant risk to their health must have regular health monitoring. Dust control measures should be implemented and reviewed regularly.

Complete our health monitoring webinar to understand when health monitoring is required and your regulatory requirements.

Eligible businesses who complete the webinar can apply for a $1000 small business rebate.

Read the crystalline silica health monitoring guide for PCBUs and workers.

Our inspector Abe talks about working safely with silica in this video safety alert.

Engineered stone industry

The engineered stone industry uses manufactured (engineered) stone products which contain high levels of crystalline silica, for bathroom and kitchen bench tops.

Many workers in this industry have developed silicosis from uncontrolled cutting, sanding, polishing or grinding, which releases crystalline silica dust into the air and can get into a workers' lungs.

Prevention methods

  • Wet cutting and using grinders and polishers with an integrated water supply will minimise the amount of dust generated.
  • Workers must also be provided with half face piece reusable or disposable respirators as a minimum, that comply with the Australian Standard 1716:2012 Respiratory Protective Devices.
  • On tool dust capture shrouds or wet cutting/grinding can be used to control dust generated during any work required during on site installation.

Failure to use these controls can result in an on the spot fine of $3,600.00.

Make sure work areas are regularly cleaned with water or using a Class M or H vacuum and don’t allow dust to build up.

You should also do regular air monitoring to make sure workers’ exposures do not exceed the workplace exposure limit for crystalline silica dust. Find practical information about how to manage health and safety risks associated with respirable crystalline silica from engineered stone in your workplace in the Engineered Stone Code of Practice.

See our Hazdardous chemicals and materials exposures baseline reduction strategy (PDF, 3004.06 KB).

Safe Work Australia has a range of guidance materials in relation to health monitoring:

More about crystalline silica

Learn more about crystalline silica harms, where it's found and other relevant publications.

Webinar for local government

Watch a recording of the Working with Crystalline Silica Webinar, conducted by SafeWork NSW and the Office of Local Government. The webinar covers:

  • what is crystalline silica
  • where it is found
  • health hazards from exposure
  • who is at risk
  • how to reduce exposure
  • health monitoring and lung screening information
  • where Councils can find information about health monitoring and lung screening.

Safe Work Australia

Safe Work Australia has a range of guidance materials in relation to health monitoring:

The harms

Exposure to silica dust can lead to a number of serious illnesses including:

  • silicosis – scarring of the lung that can result in a severe shortness of breath and is not reversible. Severe cases can be terminal or require a lung transplant
  • lung cancer
  • kidney disease
  • chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The workplace exposure standard (WES) for respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is 0.05mg/m3 eight-hour time-weighted average.

Where is crystalline silica found?

Engineered materials containing silica, such as manufactured stone, are used in kitchen benches and counter tops. Workers will also come across silica when excavating or tunneling through sandstone.

Typical crystalline silica levels in different materials are:

  • sand and sandstone: 70-100%
  • manufactured stone: 93% or higher
  • granite: 20-45% (typically 30%)
  • concrete and mortar: 25-70%
  • calcium-silicate bricks: 50-55%
  • slate: 20-40%
  • brick: up to 30%
  • fibre cement sheets: 10-30%
  • demolition dust:3-4%
  • marble:2%
  • limestone: 2%
Rebates

The Small Business Rebate makes $1000 available to all eligible businesses and sole traders in NSW who buy and install equipment that makes their workplace safer.

Publications

Read this webpage in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi or Vietnamese.

Read the hazardous chemicals and materials exposures baseline reduction strategy which outlines how we will reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals in NSW workplaces.

Read the crystalline silica technical fact sheet.

Codes of practice:

Safe Work Australia guidance material:

Australian Standards

Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH) Guidance:

Other Australian guidance:

HSE (UK) guidance:

United States guidance:

Back to top