On Friday 10 May, WHS ministers agreed to 2 sets of amendments to the model WHS Regulations, which will help protect workers from silicosis, a lung disease caused by exposure to respirable crystalline silica.
These amendments give effect to the engineered stone ban from 1 July 2024 and provide stronger regulation of all materials containing crystalline silica from 1 September 2024. The first set of amendments to the model WHS Regulations includes 2 new national frameworks relating to the implementation of the engineered stone ban, one for notifying a WHS regulator about permitted work with legacy engineered stone and the other for applications for exemptions for certain types of engineered stone, from 1 July 2024. The second set of amendments will give effect to stronger regulation of all materials containing crystalline silica, from 1 September 2024.
Individual jurisdictions must make the amendments within their respective work health and safety laws to implement the ban in their jurisdiction from 1 July 2024 and the stronger regulation of all materials containing crystalline silica from 1 September 2024.
Learn more about the ban on our new look engineered stone ban website that provides everything you need to know about the ban in one place. Key features include an overarching timeline, overview of jurisdictional transitional arrangements, links to jurisdiction-specific resources, and frequently asked questions.
We are currently developing guidance to support PCBUs understand how the amendments to the model WHS Regulations will affect them.
Read the meeting Communique published by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations for more information about the meeting of WHS ministers.
Subscribe to our mailing list and select the ‘occupational lung diseases’ box to receive updates about engineered stone.