Our Position on Silicosis Prevention in Australia

The Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH) promotes healthy work environments for all Australian workers.

The recent silicosis outbreak, a tenfold increase in ten years, is a tragic reminder of the need for stronger workplace protections. This preventable disease results from a failure to control exposure to silica dust. Addressing the issue requires a focus on preventing harm through comprehensive health risk assessments, effective control measures, air monitoring, and stricter regulation enforcement.

Occupational hygienists play a critical role in achieving these goals with their expertise in measuring silica dust in the air, assessing the extent of the exposure, providing training and education, and consulting with employers and workers on best practices.

To promote healthy work environments, the AIOH takes a proactive approach through several initiatives, like Breathe Freely Australia, RESP-FIT, and the charity work of the AIOH Foundation. We’re also actively involved in government committees and have submitted expert recommendations to various government bodies on the issue of silicosis prevention in the workplace.

The expertise of occupational hygienists is crucial to address the issue of silica dust exposure in the workplace. We recognise that there is no treatment for silicosis and we are concerned that the current management of silica dust exposure in Australia is not delivering enough. We support the urgent need for change in several areas and sectors.

The AIOH calls for:

1. A ban on the use of high-quartz-containing engineered stone by July 2024
2. A national licensing framework for workers dealing with engineered stone until a ban is in effect
3. Additional regulation in industries where high-risk crystalline silica processes occur such as stonemasonry, construction and tunnelling for example
4. National awareness campaigns involving experts in work-related disease prevention
5. Increased compliance and enforcement activities through additional resources for state and territory health and safety regulators
6. Adoption of High Resolution Computerised Tomography (HRCT) as the minimum requirement for health monitoring
7. Establishment of a Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, or similar body, which includes a focus on illness and disease that originates from the workplace.

We’ve collated evidence supporting the need for these action s in many submissions to the government, with examples here, here, and here.

A crucial moment for the safety of Australian workers is approaching. Work Health and Safety (WHS) Ministers are soon gathering to discuss the management of silica dust, further to the Regulatory Impact Statement released by Safe Work Australia.

In light of this, the AIOH has written to all WHS Ministers, advocating for the ban of high-quartz containing engineered stone and the implementation of broad silica regulations. Improvement in this area is also going to need specialist expert resources embedded in the Regulators to improve compliance and enforcement activities for the betterment of workers’ health and safety.

In that correspondence, to support our call for action, we included recent photographs taken at workplaces utilising manufactured stone.

We urge the media and the public to join us as champions for a safer, healthier future for all workers.

Media

Our vision is a healthy working environment for all.

The AIOH works to raise awareness about important issues impacting the health of the Australian workforce. Active in the media, we have several expert ambassadors available for comment on matters affecting workplace health.

For enquiries, please email or call 03 9338 1635