The Queensland government has taken a significant step in protecting workers’ health by leading a national consensus to ban work with engineered stone, effective from 1 July 2024.
This decision, following a national agreement reached in December 2023, comes in response to the serious health risks posed by exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) found in engineered stone.
The ban will apply to all work involving engineered stone, including its manufacturing, supply, processing, and installation, irrespective of when contracts were entered into.
Engineered stone has been linked to silicosis, a progressive and potentially fatal lung disease.
Queensland has been at the forefront of addressing this issue, having first proposed the ban in 2018 in response to the escalating health impacts on workers.
The government’s decision not to adopt a transition period for the ban underscores its commitment to immediately mitigating the risks posed by engineered stone.
Unlike asbestos, which is entirely banned in Australia, work with legacy engineered stone installed before 1 July 2024, will be permitted, subject to stringent safety measures under a national framework.
Businesses planning to undertake permitted work with legacy engineered stone will be required to notify Work Health and Safety (WHS) regulators.
Failure to provide the required information will constitute an offence, reflecting the government’s commitment to enforcing strict safety protocols.
Minister for Industrial Relations Grace Grace highlighted Queensland’s proactive measures in addressing RCS exposure, including the implementation of Australia’s first code of practice for the engineered stone industry in 2019 and the first code of practice for silica in the construction industry in 2023.
These initiatives aim to ensure that Queensland workers are protected from the health risks associated with engineered stone.
The government’s efforts also include the auditing of all known engineered stone benchtop fabricators, screening over 1,000 workers under Queensland’s WorkCover scheme, and establishing Australia’s first Dust Lung Disease register in July 2019.
Additionally, the government has allocated $5 million for dust lung research, demonstrating its commitment to improving workplace health and safety standards.
Minister Grace stated: “Our government has much to look back on and be proud of — especially in leading the nation to get this dangerous product out of our workplaces.”