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Silica Dust Risk Assessment

Silica Dust Risk Assessment

  • • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
  • • Fully Editable MS Word & PDF Formats Included
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  • • Includes 2 Years of Free Compliance Updates

Silica Dust Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with Silica Dust Risk Management through a structured, management-level Risk Assessment that addresses planning, policy, plant, and systems across your operations. This document supports WHS Act compliance, demonstrates Due Diligence, and helps protect your business from regulatory, financial and operational liability linked to respirable crystalline silica exposure.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • Governance, Legal Compliance and WHS Duties: Assessment of officer due diligence obligations, PCBU responsibilities, consultation duties, and governance structures for managing respirable crystalline silica (RCS) exposure risks.
  • Planning, Design and Procurement of Plant, Tools and Materials: Management of silica-related risks through design choices, material selection, and procurement of compliant plant, tools, and products (including low‑silica alternatives where practicable).
  • Risk Management Planning and Worksite Design: Development of site-specific silica dust risk profiles, zoning of high‑risk areas, segregation of dusty processes, and integration of silica controls into broader WHS risk management plans.
  • Exposure Assessment, Monitoring and Health Surveillance: Protocols for exposure monitoring, air sampling, health surveillance programs, record keeping, and review of results to inform control effectiveness and regulatory reporting.
  • Training, Competency and Supervision: Systems for ensuring workers, supervisors and contractors are competent in silica hazards, control measures, and safe work practices, including refresher training and verification of competency.
  • Safe Systems of Work and Operational Control: Development and oversight of documented procedures, job planning, isolation of dust‑generating tasks, and integration of silica controls into day‑to‑day operational management.
  • Plant, Equipment and Engineering Control Management: Selection, installation, inspection and maintenance of engineering controls such as local exhaust ventilation, water suppression systems, on‑tool extraction and enclosed plant.
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Respiratory Protection Program: Management of respiratory protection programs, fit testing, selection of appropriate RPE, storage, maintenance, and worker education on correct use and limitations.
  • Environmental Management, Housekeeping and Visibility Control: Control of secondary exposure through dust migration management, cleaning methods, waste handling, and visibility controls in dusty environments.
  • Contractor, Supplier and Labour Hire Management: Integration of silica dust requirements into contracts, prequalification, inductions, and performance monitoring of external parties and labour hire workers.
  • Incident Management, Non‑Conformance and Continuous Improvement: Processes for reporting, investigating and rectifying silica-related incidents, exceedances and non‑conformances, and using findings to drive continuous improvement.
  • Emergency Preparedness and Abnormal Conditions: Planning for plant failures, control system breakdowns, accidental releases, and other abnormal events that may lead to elevated silica dust exposure.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, PCBUs, General Managers, Safety Managers and WHS Advisors responsible for planning, overseeing and auditing operations where respirable crystalline silica dust may be generated or managed.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. Governance, Legal Compliance and WHS Duties
  • • Failure to recognise respirable crystalline silica (RCS) as a significant health hazard under WHS Act 2011 and WHS Regulations
  • • Lack of a documented silica dust management plan covering cutting, grinding, polishing and handling of silica‑containing products
  • • Inadequate identification of work activities that generate silica dust, including tile cutting, grinding, drilling and use of dust‑making machinery
  • • No formal process to review changes in legislation, exposure standards, or Safe Work Australia codes of practice relating to silica
  • • Poor integration of silica dust controls into the organisation’s overall WHS management system and risk register
  • • Lack of clearly assigned responsibilities for silica dust exposure prevention at executive, management and supervisor levels
2. Planning, Design and Procurement of Plant, Tools and Materials
  • • Procurement of high‑silica content materials and products without consideration of long‑term health risks (e.g. engineered stone with high RCS content)
  • • Purchase of machinery and tools that generate excessive dust (e.g. dry grinders, saws, polishers) without integrated dust collector or dust extractor systems
  • • Selection of dust extractors and mobile dust collection units that are not fit for purpose or inadequately sized for the task, leading to ineffective RCS dust control
  • • Failure to specify water‑suppression or on‑tool extraction systems in purchasing requirements for dust‑making machinery
  • • Absence of engineering control criteria in plant and equipment procurement standards (e.g. minimum filtration efficiency, HEPA rating, negative pressure capability)
  • • Inadequate planning for power, maintenance and storage needs of dust collector and dust extractor mobile systems, leading to under‑utilisation or bypassing of controls
3. Risk Management Planning and Worksite Design
  • • Poor worksite layout that allows silica dust to spread to adjacent work areas, amenities and public spaces
  • • Lack of segregation between high‑dust tasks (e.g. grinding, cutting tiles) and other work, increasing exposure to workers not directly engaged in dust‑creating activities
  • • Inadequate planning for ventilation and local exhaust systems, resulting in accumulation of dust and restricted visibility due to dust clouds
  • • No formal process to assess cumulative dust exposure from multiple tasks, trades or concurrent activities
  • • Insufficient planning for work in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces where dust and particulates can concentrate
  • • Failure to consider prevailing wind direction and environmental conditions for outdoor dusty work, leading to uncontrolled spread of dust and respirable particles
4. Exposure Assessment, Monitoring and Health Surveillance
  • • Unknown or underestimated levels of respirable crystalline silica exposure during dusty work, such as tile cutting, grinding, polishing and handling dusty building products
  • • No systematic air monitoring to verify effectiveness of dust collectors, dust extractors and other RCS dust control measures
  • • Failure to identify workers with higher risk due to frequency, duration and intensity of exposure to dust and particulates
  • • Absence of health monitoring and surveillance for workers exposed to silica, delaying detection of silicosis, COPD or other respiratory conditions
  • • Inadequate record keeping of exposure data, health surveillance results and control performance, leading to poor long‑term risk management decisions
  • • No process to trigger review of controls when monitoring results or health data indicate increased exposure risk
5. Training, Competency and Supervision
  • • Lack of worker and supervisor understanding of respirable crystalline silica exposure risk and long‑term health effects
  • • Inadequate training in the correct use, limitations and maintenance of dust collectors, dust extractor mobile units and local exhaust systems
  • • Poor knowledge of safe systems of work for managing dust exposure while grinding, cutting tiles and handling building products containing silica
  • • Insufficient competency in selection, fitting and care of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) for working in dusty conditions
  • • Supervisors not adequately trained to recognise unsafe dust‑generating practices or to enforce controls and cease work when necessary
  • • No refresher training to sustain awareness of silica dust exposure prevention measures
6. Safe Systems of Work and Operational Control
  • • Lack of formalised procedures for implementing controls to minimise silica exposure during routine and non‑routine tasks
  • • Reliance on ad‑hoc or informal practices when using dust‑making machinery, leading to inconsistent use of engineering and administrative controls
  • • Failure to manage dust exposure while grinding or cutting tiles in confined or poorly ventilated areas
  • • Inadequate procedures for managing gloss dust, fine particulates and secondary dust raised by sweeping or compressed air
  • • No systematic approach to housekeeping, resulting in settled dust being repeatedly disturbed and contributing to ongoing exposure
  • • Uncontrolled use of portable tools without on‑tool extraction, water suppression or appropriate RPE
7. Plant, Equipment and Engineering Control Management
  • • Dust collectors, dust extractor mobiles and local exhaust systems not properly designed, installed or commissioned, leading to inadequate capture of respirable particles
  • • Poor maintenance and inspection of dust control plant causing reduced performance, leaks and recirculation of contaminated air
  • • Blocked or damaged filters in dust collectors and extractors, increasing exposure to dust and particulates during normal operation and filter change‑out
  • • Inadequate procedures for safe handling and disposal of collected dust, resulting in secondary exposure to silica
  • • No performance verification (e.g. airflow checks, capture velocity measurements) for engineering controls installed for silica dust exposure prevention
  • • Uncontrolled modification or bypassing of dust control equipment by workers or contractors (e.g. removal of guards, disabling extraction for convenience)
8. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Respiratory Protection Program
  • • Over‑reliance on PPE rather than higher‑order controls to manage exposure to silica dust and respirable particles
  • • Incorrect selection of RPE that does not provide adequate protection for RCS levels present in dusty conditions
  • • Poor fit, maintenance and storage of RPE leading to inward leakage and reduced protection factors
  • • Lack of systems to ensure bearded or unshaven workers do not use tight‑fitting respirators, undermining silica dust exposure prevention
  • • Inadequate management of eye and skin protection where dust and particulates create irritation or restricted visibility
  • • Failure to ensure continuous and correct use of required PPE during all stages of dust‑generating work
9. Environmental Management, Housekeeping and Visibility Control
  • • Accumulation of settled dust on surfaces, equipment and floors, contributing to ongoing respirable crystalline silica exposure when disturbed
  • • Use of dry sweeping or compressed air that re‑suspends fine silica particles and gloss dust into the breathing zone
  • • Restricted visibility due to dust clouds, increasing the risk of plant and vehicle incidents, slips, trips and falls
  • • Uncontrolled migration of dust beyond the immediate work area, affecting other workers, visitors and neighbouring properties
  • • Ineffective waste management for dusty materials and collected dust from dust collectors and extractors
  • • Lack of criteria or triggers to stop work when dust levels or visibility become unsafe
10. Contractor, Supplier and Labour Hire Management
  • • Contractors and labour hire workers engaging in dusty work without alignment to the principal PCBU’s silica dust management systems
  • • Suppliers of dust‑making machinery, building products and dust collectors failing to provide adequate information on silica content and required controls
  • • Inconsistent expectations and control standards across multiple PCBUs on the same site, leading to uncontrolled exposure to dust and particulates
  • • Lack of verification that contractors implement effective RCS dust control, health monitoring and training for their own workers
  • • Poor communication of site‑specific risks related to work with respirable particles and dusty conditions to short‑term or transient workers
11. Incident Management, Non‑Conformance and Continuous Improvement
  • • Under‑reporting of incidents, near misses and health concerns related to exposure to dust and particulates
  • • Inadequate investigation of events where workers were exposed to visible dust clouds or where dust controls failed
  • • Lack of corrective action systems to address identified deficiencies in RCS dust control, training or supervision
  • • No structured review of silica dust management performance over time, leading to repeated issues and systemic weaknesses
  • • Poor worker feedback mechanisms on effectiveness and practicality of dust extraction and control measures
12. Emergency Preparedness and Abnormal Conditions
  • • Unplanned release of large quantities of dust due to equipment failure, filter rupture or damage to dust collectors and extraction ducting
  • • Visibility loss from sudden dust clouds affecting operation of vehicles, mobile plant and pedestrian safety
  • • Inadequate emergency procedures for responding to acute dust exposure, including first aid and medical evaluation
  • • No contingency plans for maintaining silica controls during power failures, plant breakdowns or severe weather events that increase dust migration
  • • Lack of worker knowledge on how to safely respond to spills or breakages of high‑silica materials or bags of powdered products

Need to add specific hazards for your workplace?

Don't worry if a specific hazard isn't listed above. Once you purchase, simply log in to your Client Portal and add your own custom hazards at no extra cost. We take care of the hard work—creating the risk ratings and control measures for free—to ensure your document is compliant within minutes.

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
  • Model Code of Practice – Managing the risks of respirable crystalline silica from engineered stone in the workplace: Guidance on controlling RCS risks from engineered stone processes.
  • Model Code of Practice – Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace: Framework for managing health and safety risks associated with hazardous chemicals, including silica‑containing substances.
  • Model Code of Practice – How to manage work health and safety risks: Principles and processes for systematic WHS risk management.
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines
  • AS/NZS 1715: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment
  • AS/NZS 1716: Respiratory protective devices
  • AS/NZS 4801 / ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems — Requirements and guidance for implementation
  • Safe Work Australia Guidance on Crystalline Silica and Health Monitoring: National guidance on exposure limits, health monitoring and control measures for respirable crystalline silica.
Standard Risk Assessment Features (Click to Expand)
  • Comprehensive hazard identification for all activities
  • Risk rating matrix with likelihood and consequence analysis
  • Existing control measures evaluation
  • Residual risk assessment after controls
  • Hierarchy of controls recommendations
  • Action priority rankings
  • Review and monitoring requirements
  • Consultation and communication records
  • Legal compliance references
  • Sign-off and approval sections

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Safe Work Australia Aligned