WHS ministers agree to silica rules and engineered stone ban frameworks

The amendments address exposure to respirable crystalline silica, which causes the lung disease silicosis.

The first set introduces two national frameworks supporting implementation of the engineered stone ban from 1 July 2024. One covers notifying a WHS regulator about permitted work involving legacy engineered stone; the other covers applications for exemptions for certain types of engineered stone.

The second set provides for stronger regulation of all materials containing crystalline silica, starting on 1 September 2024.

Each jurisdiction must amend its own work health and safety laws to implement the ban and the stronger silica regulations on those dates.

Safe Work Australia’s updated engineered stone ban website brings together a timeline, an overview of jurisdictional transitional arrangements, jurisdiction-specific resources and frequently asked questions.

Safe Work Australia is also developing guidance to help PCBUs understand how the model regulation amendments will affect them. Further information about the ministers’ meeting is available in a communique published by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, while updates about engineered stone are available through Safe Work Australia’s occupational lung diseases mailing list.

How Blue Safe can help: Our free WHS self-check can help you review your business’s approach to WHS and identify areas that may need closer attention as requirements change. Take the free WHS self-check