- The Cook Government’s ban on the use, supply and manufacture of engineered stone in WA now in effect
- The dust generated by engineered stone poses a severe health risk to workers
- The ban will prevent harmful exposure to silica, and future cases of silicosis in WA
The Cook Government’s new work health and safety regulations banning the manufacture and supply of engineered stone slabs and panels are now in effect in Western Australia.
The ban aims to protect workers from contracting silicosis during the manufacture or installation of engineered stone, which is commonly used to make kitchen or bathroom benchtops.
In December 2023, Work Health Safety Ministers from around Australia decided to ban engineered stone in workplaces from July 1 2024 to protect workers’ health.
Acknowledging that there are businesses and consumers who have already entered into construction contracts which require the use of engineered stone, the State Government has permitted a transitional period which will allow for the installation of engineered stone products for contracts signed before January 1 this year, provided they are installed by 31 December 2024.
The work processes of cutting, drilling, grinding, shaping, sanding and polishing engineered stone are most likely to produce fine crystalline silica dust. When workers breathe in this dust, it can lead to silicosis – an incurable, debilitating lung disease that can be fatal.
In recognition that other silica-containing products also produce crystalline silica dust when being processed, the Cook Government will introduce stronger work health and safety regulations to reduce that risk on 1 September 2024.
These stronger measures, based on harmonised national model regulations, will protect workers from harmful exposure to respirable crystalline silica and will apply to a broad range of general industries that work with silica-containing products, such as construction and manufacturing.
Mining is not affected by the new silica legislation as the work health and safety laws for mine sites already address this issue.
Engineered stone benchtops already installed in homes do not pose a safety hazard, as the finished product does not release dust. The ban will not apply to products that are already in their finished state, such as sinks.
As stated by Industrial Relations Minister Simone McGurk:
“The Cook Government takes protecting the health and safety of WA workers very seriously.
“We know that silicosis can kill – of 56 silicosis cases identified in WA since 2018, 50 relate to engineered stone.
“We would like to make it clear to the community that engineered stone benchtops already installed in homes do not pose a hazard, as the finished product does not release dust.
“From 1 September, we will also introduce stronger regulations to ensure workers are not exposed to fine crystalline silica dust from other silica-containing products.”
