Stronger regulations commence to protect workers against silica dust exposure
Stronger regulations on processing crystalline silica substances have commenced in the Northern Territory with amendments to Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Regulation 2011 (the Regulations).
These amendments are in line with the national move to protect workers across all industries from the risk of silica dust exposure and build on the national ban on engineered stone that commenced on 1 July 2024.
Under the new amendments, there is now a requirement to:
- Control the processing of all crystalline silica substances.
- Assess the risk of processing crystalline silica substances.
- If the processing is high risk
- develop a silica risk control plan
- provide accredited or regulator approved crystalline silica training to the workers
- conduct air monitoring for respirable crystalline silica, and
- provide health monitoring for the workers carrying out high risk processing.
Crystalline silica substance is defined under Regulation 259A as any material containing at least one per cent crystalline silica by weight.
The mining and civil construction industry should note that the definition of processing, in relation to crystalline silica substances, now includes the following work activities if the material involved in the works is a crystalline silica substance:
- excavating using roadheaders
- quarrying
- mechanical screening
- tunnelling.
To meet the new requirements, processing is considered ‘controlled’ if control measures are implemented, so far as is reasonably practicable, and at least one of the following control measures is used during the processing:
- the isolation of a person from dust exposure
- a fully enclosed operator cabin, fitted with a high efficiency air filtration system
- an effective wet dust suppression method
- an effective on-tool extraction system
- an effective local exhaust ventilation system.
Guidance material
The following guidance material has been developed nationally and is available on the Safe Work Australia website.
- Working with crystalline silica substances: Guidance for PCBUs
- Working with crystalline silica substances: Supporting resources