Silica & Engineered Stone — The Rules
Silica & Engineered Stone — The Rules
Respirable crystalline silica is the new asbestos conversation — and engineered stone is now banned. The exposure limit, the ban, and the controls you must have.
Engineered stone — banned
| Ban effective | 1 July 2024 — offence to manufacture, supply, process or install |
| Applies to | Engineered stone containing 1% or more crystalline silica |
| Import ban | 1 January 2025 |
| Not caught by the ban | Concrete, cement, bricks, pavers, ceramic/porcelain tiles, grout, mortar, render, plasterboard |
The exposure standard
| Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) | 0.05 mg/m³ averaged over 8 hours |
| Forward note | Becomes a Workplace Exposure Limit from 1 Dec 2026, with an 'as low as reasonably practicable' duty |
Any material 1%+ silica (since 1 Sep 2024)
- Silica risk assessment + a written control plan for high-risk processes
- Control the dust — at least one of: isolation, enclosed cabin with HEPA, or wet dust suppression
- Never dry-cut, dry-grind or dry-polish silica materials
- Health monitoring for workers at risk
Reference only — not legal/health advice. Follow the Safe Work Australia Silica Dust Code of Practice and your state WHS regulator. The engineered-stone ban is in force; figures current 2025-26.
Sources: Safe Work Australia — crystalline silica & engineered stone · model WHS Regulations · SWA Silica Dust Code of Practice
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