Occupations and tasks that can lead to silica exposure
The occupations with the greatest risk of exposure to silica dust include:
- miners
- construction workers (both commercial and residential)
- farmers, and
- engineers.
There may be a risk of exposure to silica dust for workers who:
- use power tools to cut or modify engineered stone, for example fabricating and installing kitchen benchtops
- blast, excavate or tunnel into sandstone, clay or granite
- drill, cut or chase into concrete and brickwork
- cut bricks, pavers or tiles
- angle grind on concrete or masonry
- jackhammer, scabble or chisel concrete
- clean up the dust and debris created by the above activities, including dried concrete slurry
- dismantle equipment or disposes of offcuts covered in dust, or
- demolish buildings.
In the ACT there is mandatory training for those who work with crystalline silica materials.
Work Health and Safety (Crystalline Silica Awareness Training Course and Occupations) Declaration 2023 (the declaration) commenced in July 2022. Under this law, all workers in the specified occupations and those who are reasonably expected to be exposed to airborne silica dust as part of their work must complete 10830NAT – Course in Crystalline Silica Exposure Prevention before 1 October 2023.
You can find training providers at training.gov.au - 10830NAT - Course in Crystalline Silica Exposure Prevention.
Table of specified occupations
ANZSCO occupation code number |
|
---|---|
334112 | Air-conditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber |
342111 | Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic |
232111 | Architect |
721212 | Backhoe Operator |
331111 | Bricklayer |
821111 | Builder’s Labourer |
312112 | Building Associate |
312113 | Building Inspector |
821411 | Building Insulation Installer |
721213 | Bulldozer Operator |
342411 | Cabler (Data and Telecommunication) |
331212 | Carpenter |
331211 | Carpenter and Joiner |
233211 | Civil Engineer |
312212 | Civil Engineering Technician |
711199 | Clay, Concrete, Glass and Stone Processing Machine Operators nec |
711111 | Clay Products Machine Operator |
811211 | Commercial Cleaner |
711112 | Concrete Products Machine Operator |
821211 | Concreter |
133111 | Construction Project Manager |
821711 | Construction Rigger |
821112 | Drainage, Sewerage and Stormwater Labourer |
334113 | Drainer |
821113 | Earthmoving Labourer |
721211 | Earthmoving Plant Operator (General) |
233311 | Electrical Engineer |
312312 | Electrical Engineering Technician |
899914 | Electrical or Telecommunications Trades Assistant |
341111 | Electrician (General) |
341112 | Electrician (Special Class) |
233411 | Electronics Engineer |
133211 | Engineering Manager |
721214 | Excavator Operator |
821311 | Fencer |
333211 | Fibrous Plasterer |
332111 | Floor Finisher |
334114 | Gasfitter |
233212 | Geotechnical Engineer |
333111 | Glazier |
899311 | Handyperson |
821412 | Home Improvement Installer |
399912 | Interior Decorator |
331213 | Joiner |
821913 | Lagger |
232112 | Landscape Architect |
341113 | Lift Mechanic |
721216 | Loader Operator |
323313 | Locksmith |
312512 | Mechanical Engineering Technician |
332211 | Painting Trades Worker |
841913 | Pest Controller |
334111 | Plumber (General) |
821114 | Plumber’s Assistant |
312115 | Plumbing Inspector |
133112 | Project Builder |
334115 | Roof Plumber |
333311 | Roof Tiler |
312611 | Safety Inspector |
821712 | Scaffolder |
899918 | Sign Erector |
333212 | Solid Plasterer |
821713 | Steel Fixer |
331112 | Stonemason |
711114 | Stone Processing Machine Operator |
233214 | Structural Engineer |
821714 | Structural Steel Erector |
342414 | Telecommunications Technician |
333411 | Wall and Floor Tiler |
322313 | Welder (First Class) |
Publications
- Silica information for the construction industry (DOC) or (PDF)
- Silica information for the Bricklaying businesses (Doc)
- Silica information: Working with Concrete (Doc) or (PDF)
- Silica information for businesses that work with engineered stone 2022 (Doc) or (PDF)
- Silica information for landscaping businesses (Doc) or (PDF)
- Silica information: Natural forms of silica (Doc) or (PDF)
- WorkSafe ACT - Managing Silica Dust at Construction Sites (DOC 597KB) or (PDF 344KB)
- WorkSafe ACT - Crystalline Silica Dust Guidance Note (DOC 99KB) or (PDF 222KB)
- Respirable Crystalline Silica and Occupational Health Issues - Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (PDF 115KB)
- Silica and the lung (PDF 679KB)
- Breathe Freely Australia - Concrete Sprayer fact sheet
- Breathe Freely Australia - Plasterer fact sheet
- Guide for working with silica and silica containing products – Safe Work Australia
- Workplace checklist: Changes to the workplace exposure standard for silica dust – Safe Work Australia
- Health monitoring for crystalline silica – Safe Work Australia
- Health monitoring guide for PCBUs – Safe Work Australia
- Health monitoring guide for workers – Safe Work Australia
- Silica Dust project (2019) – WorkSafe ACT (DOC 1,316KB)
- Clean Air. Clear Lungs. | Safe Work Australia
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