Notification of silicosis diagnosis

All medical practitioners must notify NSW Health when they diagnose a case of silicosis in NSW. Information for medical practitioners, businesses and workers.

On this page:

The changes and what they mean

On 1 July 2020, the NSW Government introduced a reform package to target silica exposure as part of a five-year strategy to reduce exposure to silica dust.

Find out how the requirement to notify of a silicosis diagnosis affects medical professionals, business and workers.

Notification of a silicosis diagnosis

As of 1 July 2020, all medical practitioners must notify NSW Health when they diagnose a case of silicosis in NSW. Silicosis is a scheduled medical condition under Part 4 of the NSW Public Health Act 2010.

Information will be transmitted, received and stored securely to maintain patient privacy.

NSW Health will provide notifications to SafeWork NSW, to undertake workplace health and safety (WHS) investigations at the current or previous workplaces of the person with silicosis.

If a workplace falls under a different WHS regulator including the NSW Resources Regulator or Comcare, the information will be shared with them so WHS investigations can take place.

For medical practitioners

Silicosis is a scheduled medical condition under Part 4 of the NSW Public Health Act 2010, requiring all medical practitioners to notify NSW Health when they diagnose a case of silicosis in NSW.

Upon receiving a notification of a diagnosis of silicosis, NSW Health will provide information to SafeWork NSW. SafeWork NSW will receive and securely store any information provided by NSW Health.

Silicosis is a debilitating and potentially fatal occupational lung disease caused by exposure to silica dust (quartz) that leads to impairment of the lung.

Silica is found naturally in the environment as well as in a range of building materials including natural and manufactured stone, concrete and cement products.

Notification form

Download the Notification of a Silicosis Diagnosis Form from NSW Health.

Details must include:

  • patient/worker details
  • diagnosis including type of silicosis (acute, chronic or accelerated)
  • relevant work history
  • current and previous employer details
  • level of impairment.

The form can only be authorised by the diagnosing medical practitioner but can be lodged by the practitioner’s staff.

The form needs to be returned to NSW Health. Details are on the form.

It's recommended the worker is informed that the notification will be made and that the relevant WHS regulator may investigate their current or former workplace.

Watch the How to Notify of a Silicosis Diagnosis webinar

Read the crystalline silica Health Monitoring Guide for Registered Medical Practitioners

For businesses and workers

Employers (Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking – PCBU) must provide regular health monitoring to workers exposed to silica dust that poses a significant risk to their health.

Dust control measures should always be in place and reviewed regularly.

Employers must notify SafeWork NSW if a worker receives an adverse health monitoring report such as a silicosis diagnosis.

It may take time for signs and symptoms of silicosis to develop and be identified during health monitoring. One clear health monitoring report doesn't mean a worker won't develop silicosis in the future.

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

icare, NSW’s workplace insurance, care and compensation provider, offers subsidised health monitoring to businesses across NSW through its Lung screen service. icare also provides support to people who have developed a dust disease as a result of harmful dust exposure while employed in NSW.

Workers can go to a doctor of their choice for health monitoring if they prefer.

They can also find out if their diagnosis has been notified by calling SafeWork NSW on 13 10 50

Help and support for businesses

WHS investigations

When SafeWork NSW or another relevant WHS regulator is notified of a silicosis diagnosis, they may investigate the workplaces where silica dust exposure may have occurred.

These investigations may include:

  • a visit to an employer to ensure work practices aren't putting workers at risk
  • requiring the employer to change work practices (notices can be issued)
  • a full investigation that may result in prosecution, where serious breaches are identified

Data and privacy

Information contained in the notification form remains private and confidential under the NSW Public Health Act 2010.

  • NSW Health securely transfers the necessary information to SafeWork NSW, which holds information confidentially.
  • SafeWork NSW will publish de-identified statistical data from information contained in the notification of silicosis diagnosis forms.

Frequently asked questions

Who are the WHS regulators in NSW?

SafeWork NSW is the WHS regulator for all NSW workplaces except those that fall under the national Comcare scheme and those under the NSW Resources Regulator which covers petroleum, mining and quarries.

What health screening services are available to NSW workplaces?

Employers (Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking – PCBU) must provide regular health monitoring to workers exposed to silica dust that poses a significant risk to their health.

Dust control measures should always be in place and reviewed regularly.

Insurance & Care NSW (icare) offers subsidised health monitoring to businesses across NSW through its Lung Screen Service.

The Lung Screen Service is available through the Mobile Lung Bus and the fixed clinic in the Sydney CBD.

Workers can go to a doctor of their choice for health monitoring if they prefer.

How many cases of silicosis are there in NSW?

It's been difficult to get a true picture of the numbers of people affected by silicosis in NSW.

The introduction of this new measure will help ensure WHS regulators have more accurate information about the prevalence of the disease.

We do know cases have been on a steep increase in recent years as has been the case in other states in Australia.

What else is the NSW Government doing to target silica?

The NSW Government through SafeWork NSW is delivering a five-year strategy to reduce silica dust exposure. The strategy has four key components:

  • business interactions and compliance: visits and interactions with 9000 businesses by 2022 including visits to all manufactured stone fabrication businesses in NSW, as well as tunnelling and infrastructure sites, and general construction. As of May 2020, more than 5000 interactions have been completed, including more than 1000 workplace visits.
  • awareness: multiple mass media advertising campaigns, a video safety alert translated into several languages, a regional roadshow series and the 2019 Silica Symposium.
  • research: including a world-leading project to develop a wearable silica dust exposure detection device.
  • regulation: including the reform package coming into effect on 1 July –
    • halving of the workplace exposure standard,
    • on-the-spot fines for uncontrolled dry-cutting of manufactured stone
    • penalties for PCBUs who fail to notify an adverse health report

Other activities include convening of a NSW Manufactured Stone Industry Taskforce, comprising representatives from health, industry, unions, education and government which made a series of findings and recommendations to protect workers from silica dust exposure – including notification of silicosis diagnoses, reducing the workplace exposure standard and other trade and education recommendations now underway.

What about patients diagnosed before 1 July 2020?

Only diagnoses made on or after 1 July 2020 need to be notified to NSW Health.

Are asbestos-related lung diseases also notifiable?

Cancer is already both a scheduled medical condition and a notifiable disease in NSW.

The Cancer Institute NSW maintains the NSW Cancer Registry which holds records relating to all diagnoses of cancer in NSW.

Information about cases of mesothelioma (which is a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos) is then shared by the NSW Cancer Institute with the Australian Mesothelioma Register, which receives information from all Australian States and Territories.

Are other forms of pneumoconiosis such as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis or mixed dust pneumoconiosis notifiable?

Only silicosis is becoming a scheduled medical condition requiring notification from 1 July 2020.

Contact us

Call 13 10 50

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