Silica Dust on Worksites and the Engineered Stone Ban
BMNL
Silica dust is one of the most serious health hazards on Australian building sites and in stone workshops. You cannot see the finest particles, yet they can scar the lungs for life. The risk comes from everyday tasks such as cutting, grinding and drilling. Most of the materials involved are ones that trades handle every day.
Since 1 July 2024, Australia has also banned most work with engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs. It affects builders, kitchen makers and renovators who work with stone. This guide explains what silica dust is, what the ban covers and how workplaces are expected to control the dust. It is general information for business owners, site managers and workers.
What silica dust is and where it comes from
Crystalline silica is a natural mineral found in many construction materials. Quartz is the most familiar form. The mineral itself is not the problem while a material sits untouched. Dust is released when the material is mechanically processed, for example by cutting, grinding, polishing or crushing it with a power tool.
The amount of silica varies a great deal between materials. WorkSafe Victoria lists sandstone at 70% to 90% crystalline silica and granite at 25% to 60%. Concrete sits under 30%, brick at 5% to 15% and marble under 5%. Porcelain sits at 14% to 18%, and ceramic tiles range from 5% to 45%.
Engineered stone is in a class of its own. Its silica content varies but can exceed 90%, which is far higher than most natural stone. This is one reason it became the focus of national action. The ban targets benchtops, panels and slabs, which is worth knowing if you are judging the signs that a kitchen is well made in an older home.
Why the dust is so harmful
The particles that matter are called respirable crystalline silica. They are small enough to be breathed deep into the lungs. WorkSafe Victoria describes silicosis as an irreversible, incurable and progressive lung disease that can lead to disability and death. Long exposure at low to moderate levels can cause it, and so can short exposure at high levels.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland reports that engineered stone workers have far more silicosis cases than workers exposed to silica from other sources. Those cases showed shorter exposure times, faster disease progression and higher death rates. Engineered stone often has more silica and is faster to cut. It also produces smaller and more toxic particles, and its resins, metals and pigments may add to the harm.
What the engineered stone ban covers
The engineered stone prohibition started on 1 July 2024. It covers the manufacture, supply, processing and installation of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs. A national import ban followed on 1 January 2025. In Queensland the ban applied even where contracts had been signed before the start date.
Queensland guidance sets out a clear test for what counts as engineered stone. The product must contain at least 1% crystalline silica by weight. It must be made by combining natural stone with materials such as resins, water or pigments. It must also harden during manufacture.
Some products sit outside the ban. These include natural stone such as granite, along with porcelain and sintered stone. Concrete and cement products, bricks, pavers, tiles, grout, plasterboard and roof tiles are also excluded. Finished items that need no cutting, such as kitchen sinks and garden ornaments, are not covered either.
Existing benchtops and legacy stone
The ban does not force anyone to rip out engineered stone that is already installed. Queensland guidance notes that undisturbed stone is not considered a risk. Stone installed or bought before the ban is known as legacy engineered stone. Limited work on it is still allowed, including repair, removal, minor modification and disposal.
There are firm conditions on that work. The business must notify the work health and safety regulator before it starts. In most jurisdictions a benchtop can also be reinstalled when other work needs it lifted out, such as getting to the cabinets underneath. This matters for kitchen renovations, and anyone planning an open plan living renovation should raise it with their builder early.
In Queensland, cutting legacy stone must be controlled under section 529B of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011. That means suitable respiratory protection plus at least one other control. The choices are a continuous water supply, dust extraction fitted to the tool or local exhaust ventilation. Processed legacy stone cannot be reused and must be disposed of under waste rules.
How workplaces are expected to control silica dust
Silica rules apply well beyond engineered stone. Cutting concrete, brick, tiles and natural stone can all create dangerous dust. Before processing these materials, a business must work out whether the job counts as high risk crystalline silica work. All engineered stone processes fall into that group and need a silica risk control plan.
WorkSafe Victoria sets out a hierarchy of controls, starting with the most effective. It notes that more than one control is usually needed. The order runs like this:
- Elimination, such as choosing products that contain no silica.
- Substitution, such as epoxy grout in place of silica rich cement grout.
- Isolation, such as automated wet cutting machines.
- Engineering controls, such as water suppression or extraction on the tool linked to a Class M or H vacuum.
- Administrative controls, such as rotating workers between dusty and cleaner tasks.
- Respiratory protection, as a last resort where risk remains.
Clean up is part of the plan too. Compressed air, dry sweeping and high pressure water should never be used to clear silica dust. Silica contaminated waste should be labelled as a silica dust hazard. Planning these steps before work starts is the same kind of thinking used in electrical inspections and other site safety checks.
Exposure limits, masks and health checks
The crystalline silica guidance from WorkSafe Victoria gives the exposure standard as 0.05 mg/m³ averaged over eight hours. For a 10 hour day it drops to 0.035 mg/m³. WorkSafe Victoria recommends an even lower precautionary limit of 0.02 mg/m³. The standard applies to the air a worker breathes outside any mask.
Respiratory protection must meet AS/NZS 1716:2012 or an equivalent standard, with at least a P2 filter. Each person must be fit tested so the mask seals properly. Where facial hair stops a good seal, a powered air purifying respirator with a loose helmet can be used. Selection and care of masks follow AS/NZS 1715:2009.
Victoria also requires air monitoring when an employer is unsure whether exposure is over the standard. Health monitoring must be supervised by a registered medical practitioner when exposure is likely to affect health. These are serious obligations for any business. Stone and concrete cutting is not a casual job. The same thinking explains why you should never install a swimming pool yourself.
Rules differ between states
The ban is national, but each state and territory regulates and enforces it. Victoria applies the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017, including Part 4.5 on crystalline silica. Queensland uses the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011. Notification steps, forms and exemptions vary, and they can change over time.
Exemptions are also handled locally. Queensland, for example, granted a reinstallation exemption that runs from 13 January 2025 to 12 January 2027 unless it is changed sooner. It also recognises exemptions granted in other jurisdictions. Always check the current rules with the regulator in the state where the work takes place.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to remove an engineered stone benchtop I already have?
No. The ban does not require removal of engineered stone that is already installed. Stone that is left undisturbed is not considered a risk. Any later repair or removal work must follow the legacy stone rules.
Is natural stone such as granite banned?
No. Natural stone benchtops, panels and slabs are outside the ban. Granite still contains crystalline silica, though, so cutting it must be controlled. The usual silica rules on dust control and masks still apply.
Can a tradesperson cut engineered stone during a renovation?
Only in limited cases, such as minor modification, repair or removal of legacy stone. The business must notify the regulator before starting. The work must use dust controls and suitable respiratory protection.
Which materials besides engineered stone create silica dust?
Many common building materials do. Sandstone, granite, concrete, brick, tiles and porcelain all contain crystalline silica. Cutting, grinding or drilling them can release fine dust.
This article is general information only and is not legal, safety or medical advice. Work health and safety laws differ between states and territories and change over time. Speak with your state regulator, a qualified lawyer or a doctor about your own situation.
