Stone benchtop fabricator silica audits to resume

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland will resume audits of stone benchtop fabrication businesses as part of ongoing compliance and enforcement activities in this industry.

The audits, which will run until mid-2021, are to assess whether workplaces are complying with the new Managing respirable crystalline silica dust exposure in the stone benchtop industry Code of Practice 2019 (PDF, 0.91 MB)  that came into force last October.

The level of compliance required in the code of practice is more stringent than in previous guidelines, so stone benchtop fabricators will first be provided with information and resources clarifying what compliance looks like and how to prepare for the audits.

Once the campaign shifts into the compliance phase, inspectors will monitor all stone benchtop fabricators throughout Queensland to:

• ensure all are complying with the code of practice and protecting workers
• establish the stone fabrication industry's level of compliance with the new code of practice
• inform future compliance action and interventions by WHSQ, as a whole or in targeted areas of the industry
• improve industry management of silica exposure risks by increasing knowledge of how to work safely when fabricating stone bench tops and ensuring workers receive ongoing health monitoring.

Individual workplace guidance and support is available through the Injury Prevention and Management program. This program provides free assessments and guidance tailored to your business's needs by specialist advisors.

Further information

For more information on managing respirable crystalline silica risks in your workplace, visit worksafe.qld.gov.au