Safe Work Australia has released a new campaign targeting engineered stone as part of its Clean Air. Clean Lungs. campaign.
Silica dust exposure from manufactured stone products has been in the spotlight across the year. Safe Work Australia has most recently reccomended banning such products from Australia.
Inhaling silica dust can cause silicosis – a deadly lung disease which is prominent in the building and construction industries.
The campaign features a tonne of easy-to-understand modules in a variety of languages to ensure those working in construction are across being silica safe.
It also contains vital legal information for business owners and workers alike on their obligations when working with any dust-generating materials.
This campaign comes as discussions around banning engineered stone heat up. Both major retailers Bunnings and IKEA have removed silica-based manufactured stone products from their shelves.
Both the ACT and NSW state governments have also indicated they will support a ban on silica-based stone products when the Commonwealth meets to discuss the issue by the end of the year.