The Minns Labor Government has launched a new Silica Worker Register to strengthen protections for workers exposed to crystalline silica dust, one of the most dangerous workplace hazards in Australia.
The register will track the health of at-risk workers who carry out high-risk processing of crystalline silica substances such as cutting, drilling, grinding or polishing. Employers will now be required to register these workers within 28 days of them starting in a role involving high-risk silica work.
Silica dust can cause silicosis, an incurable and often fatal lung disease, along with other serious health issues. Since 2017, 516 cases of silicosis and 36 deaths have been recorded in NSW.
SafeWork NSW has been conducting inspections and enforcement action to reduce risks, with more than 5,200 workplace visits since 2018 leading to thousands of improvement and prohibition notices. The new register aims to strengthen prevention by tracking health data and targeting high-risk areas for monitoring and support.
This new measure joins several other government initiatives aimed at eliminating silica-related illness, including:
• A national ban on engineered stone benchtops and slabs containing more than one per cent crystalline silica, effective from 1 January 2025.
• A Tunnelling Dust Safety Taskforce, bringing together experts from government, medicine, industry and unions.
• A dedicated silica compliance unit within SafeWork NSW.
• $5 million in funding for silicosis research and patient support, managed by icare and the Dust Diseases Board through the Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute.
• $2.5 million for the icare Lung Bus, which travels throughout NSW providing lung health assessments to workers at risk of dust diseases.
Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said the register is another step forward in protecting workers.
“The new register will help us target high-risk areas, minimise exposure, inform health screening services and improve outcomes for workers across the state,” she said. “Every worker has the right to go to work and return home safely.”
SafeWork NSW Commissioner Janet Schorer said it’s an important measure in preventing silicosis and other dust-related diseases.
“The register ensures at-risk workers are being monitored and any health changes are detected early. We’re urging all businesses to comply with their legal obligations to register affected workers,” she said.
AWU NSW Branch Secretary Tony Callinan said it’s a long-overdue win for worker safety.
“Silicosis can take years to develop, and this register means no worker falls through the cracks,” he said. “Employers and government now have no excuse not to act to prevent this devastating disease.”
For more information and details on how employers can register workers, visit the SafeWork NSW website at www.safework.nsw.gov.au/notify-safework/silica-worker-register-notification
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