The Australia standard for exposure is 100 micrograms of respirable crystalline silica per cubic metre of air. Exposure Standard Twice as High as in the US Non-compliance concerned the levels of silica dust to which workers were exposed. Of 20 sites surveyed across a wide range of construction and construction-related industries, WHSQ found one in five workers were affected over an average nine-hour working day.

Site audits carried out by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland between 20 also found crystalline silica dust exposure could also be experienced by workers in concrete plants, precast concrete block production and installation workers, and on-site construction workers generally. They include brick cutting angle grinding on concrete or masonry concrete cutting jack hammering and chiselling of concrete, masonry and stone scabbling tile cutting drilling of concrete or brick excavation and clearing up of dust and debris following work. Safe Work Australia and the Cancer Council have identified a wide range of construction and demolition jobs that can result in dangerous levels of crystalline silica dust. What’s more, even low levels of exposure can cause chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive airways disease. In addition to the risks of lung health, researchers are finding evidence there could be a link between crystalline silica exposure and renal (kidney) disease. The Construction, Forestry Mining and Energy Union issued a national health alert about silica dust in April this year, following a determination by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) which saw Crystalline Silica classified as a Group 1 Carcinogenic. “To make matters worse, the disease progression is much faster than seen before, and the people affected-much younger. These are diseases we thought had almost been eradicated, but thanks to exposure to high levels of dust and poor control measures they’re resurfacing,” Professor Glanville said. “This resurgence in occupational lung diseases should have clinicians, tradespeople and industry on alert.

“This resurgence in occupational lung diseases should have clinicians, tradespeople and industry on alert.” Overall, occupational lung diseases including silicosis and “miners lung” are making a comeback, said Professor Allan Glanville, President of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand. The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand issued a warning to anyone working with dust, including workers involved mining and tunnelling, or those exposed to dust generated by working with artificial or engineered stone. Dr Hoy also said he was aware of seven new cases diagnosed in the past five years in NSW, Queensland and Victoria caused by working with artificial stone. The majority had been working in small businesses fabricating stone benchtops for kitchens and bathrooms, according to Dr Ryan Hoy, who presented on the topic at the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology Congress. The recent and sudden spike in the number of young workers presenting with silicosis has raised the alarm bells. This can lead to degenerative and sometimes fatal diseases, such as silicosis, and contribute to the likelihood of developing lung cancer. However, when inhaled, they can lodge deep in lung tissue. What has health authorities, workplace safety organisations and others concerned is the particles are so small they cannot be seen with the naked eye. The extremely fine particles are released when granites, sand, bricks, cement, and other materials release dust due to activities such as cutting, grinding and blasting. One of the major health hazards on many construction sites is the one you often cannot see-crystalline silica dust.

Silica dust exposure