Product Overview

Summary: This Dust Control Safe Operating Procedure provides a clear, practical framework for managing airborne and settled dust across Australian workplaces. It helps you protect workers from respiratory disease, maintain compliant work environments, and reduce nuisance dust that can disrupt operations and damage equipment.

Uncontrolled dust is more than a housekeeping issue – it is a serious WHS risk that can lead to occupational lung disease, explosions, slips, poor visibility, and regulatory non‑compliance. This Dust Control Safe Operating Procedure sets out a structured, step‑by‑step approach to identifying dust sources, assessing risk, and implementing effective engineering, administrative and PPE controls across a range of Australian work environments, from construction sites and workshops to warehouses, quarries and processing plants.

The procedure translates WHS obligations and relevant Australian guidance into clear, actionable instructions that frontline workers and supervisors can actually follow. It covers planning and pre‑start requirements, selection and use of dust suppression methods, operation of extraction and ventilation systems, safe housekeeping practices, inspection and maintenance of dust control equipment, and incident response where dust levels become unsafe. By standardising how dust is managed on site, this SOP helps businesses demonstrate due diligence, reduce long‑term health risks such as silicosis and asthma, protect sensitive equipment, and maintain cleaner, more efficient and more compliant workplaces.

Key Benefits

• Reduce worker exposure to hazardous dusts, including respirable crystalline silica and other fine particulates, lowering the risk of long‑term respiratory illness.
• Ensure consistent, defensible dust management practices that align with Australian WHS legislation and regulator expectations.
• Improve housekeeping standards and visibility on site, reducing slip, trip and vehicle interaction risks linked to dust build‑up.
• Extend the life of plant and equipment by minimising dust ingress into machinery, electrical components and ventilation systems.
• Streamline training and supervision by providing a single, easy‑to‑follow procedure for dust control across multiple tasks and locations.

Who is this for?

• WHS Managers
• Site Supervisors
• Operations Managers
• Construction Project Managers
• Workshop Managers
• Facilities Managers
• HSE Advisors
• Manufacturing Supervisors
• Civil and Roadworks Supervisors
• Mining and Quarrying Supervisors
• Warehouse and Logistics Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Inhalation of respirable crystalline silica and other hazardous dusts
• Development or aggravation of occupational lung diseases (e.g. silicosis, COPD, asthma)
• Dust explosions and fire in areas with combustible dusts
• Reduced visibility leading to mobile plant and vehicle incidents
• Slip and trip hazards from settled dust and debris on floors and walkways
• Skin and eye irritation from contact with certain dusts
• Contamination of products, processes and sensitive equipment
• Environmental dust nuisance affecting neighbouring properties and the public

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Types of Dust
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Guidance
• 5.0 Hazard Identification and Dust Risk Assessment
• 6.0 Hierarchy of Controls for Dust Management
• 7.0 Engineering Controls (Extraction, Ventilation and Enclosures)
• 8.0 Dust Suppression Methods (Watering, Foam, Substitution and Process Changes)
• 9.0 Administrative Controls (Work Scheduling, Restricted Areas and Signage)
• 10.0 Personal Protective Equipment Requirements
• 11.0 Housekeeping, Cleaning Methods and Waste Disposal
• 12.0 Operation, Inspection and Maintenance of Dust Control Equipment
• 13.0 Air Monitoring, Health Monitoring and Record Keeping
• 14.0 Environmental and Community Dust Nuisance Controls
• 15.0 Incident, Non‑Compliance and Exceedance Response
• 16.0 Training, Communication and Consultation
• 17.0 Review, Audit and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Model Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and corresponding state and territory WHS Acts and Regulations
• Safe Work Australia – Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Respirable Crystalline Silica from Engineered Stone in the Workplace
• AS/NZS 1715: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment
• AS/NZS 1716: Respiratory protective devices
• AS/NZS 60079 series: Explosive atmospheres (for combustible dust environments)
• AS 1668.2: The use of ventilation and airconditioning in buildings – Mechanical ventilation in buildings