The Mid North Coast Safety Handbook – Edition 3

The Dust You Can't See: Understanding Silica Exposure on the Mid North Coast

You can't always see it.

You can't always smell it.

And you may not realise you are breathing it in.

But respirable crystalline silica (RCS) can be generated by everyday construction activities including cutting, drilling, grinding, crushing and working with materials such as concrete, bricks, stone and tiles.

For workers across the Mid North Coast, silica exposure isn't just a concern for specialist stone businesses.

It can be relevant to builders, bricklayers, concreters, tilers, landscapers, demolition crews, roofers, labourers and many other workers who work with silica-containing materials.

Welcome to Edition 3 of The Mid North Coast Safety Handbook.

This time, we're looking at one of the workplace hazards that can be easiest to overlook — because the most dangerous dust may be the dust you can't see.

What is respirable crystalline silica?

Crystalline silica is a naturally occurring mineral found in many common construction materials.

It can be found in:

• Concrete

• Bricks

• Sandstone

• Granite

• Tiles

• Pavers

• Mortar and grout

• Fibre cement products

• Sand

• Rock and gravel

• Some manufactured stone products

The material itself isn't necessarily the problem when it remains intact.

The risk increases when work processes create very fine airborne particles.

These particles are known as respirable crystalline silica.

Because they are extremely small, they can travel deep into the lungs when inhaled.

SafeWork NSW identifies cutting, sanding, drilling and other processes that generate fine dust as significant sources of RCS exposure.

The dust doesn't have to look dangerous

One of the biggest problems with silica exposure is that workers may not recognise when they are being exposed.

A visible cloud of dust is an obvious warning sign.

But the absence of a visible dust cloud doesn't necessarily mean there is no risk.

SafeWork NSW notes that the particles of respirable silica dust can be extremely small and that workers can be exposed during common construction activities.

This is why "I couldn't see much dust" isn't a reliable safety control.

The better approach is to identify the material and the task before the work starts.

Where could silica exposure occur?

Consider a typical construction project.

A worker might:

• Cut concrete

• Drill into masonry

• Grind a concrete surface

• Cut bricks

• Cut pavers

• Install tiles

• Grind mortar

• Jackhammer concrete

• Remove old materials during demolition

• Work around excavation or rock

• Clean up construction dust

Each activity needs to be considered as part of the workplace's risk assessment and control measures.

SafeWork NSW's construction silica guidance identifies activities including brick and concrete cutting, grinding, jackhammering, demolition, excavation and clean-up activities as potential sources of silica dust exposure.

The biggest mistake: Treating PPE as the whole solution

A respirator can be an important part of protecting workers.

But putting on a mask shouldn't be the first and only question asked.

The hierarchy of controls should come first.

Businesses should consider whether the risk can be:

Eliminated

Can the task be avoided altogether?

For example, can a different construction method or product eliminate the need to cut or drill?

Substituted

Can a lower-risk material or process be used?

Isolated

Can the dusty task be separated from other workers?

Engineered

Can the dust be controlled at the source?

Examples include:

• Water suppression

• On-tool dust extraction

• Local exhaust ventilation

• Appropriate dust capture systems

• Enclosed or isolated work areas

Administrative controls

Can work procedures, scheduling, exclusion zones, supervision and training reduce exposure?

Personal protective equipment

Where required, appropriate respiratory protective equipment should form part of the overall control strategy.

SafeWork NSW specifically recommends applying the hierarchy of controls and identifies measures such as water suppression, dust extraction, ventilation, isolation, housekeeping and appropriate respiratory protective equipment.

The important point is that PPE shouldn't be used as an excuse for poor dust control.

Dry cutting should raise a red flag

If you see someone dry cutting concrete, brick, tile or another silica-containing material and creating airborne dust, stop and ask:

Is there a safer way to do this?

Uncontrolled dry cutting and processing can generate very high levels of silica dust.

SafeWork NSW states that businesses must not direct or allow workers to undertake uncontrolled dry cutting or processing of engineered stone, and its broader silica guidance emphasises the need for effective controls when processing crystalline silica-containing materials.

For other construction materials, the same fundamental principle applies:

Control the dust at the source rather than relying on workers to breathe through it.

What about the engineered stone ban?

The engineered stone conversation has created some confusion.

In NSW, the manufacture, supply, processing and installation of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs containing at least 1% crystalline silica has been prohibited since 1 July 2024.

However, this does not mean silica is no longer a construction issue.

Concrete, bricks, pavers, tiles, natural stone and other materials can still contain crystalline silica.

SafeWork NSW specifically notes that the engineered stone prohibition does not cover many other silica-containing construction products.

In other words:

The engineered stone ban didn't eliminate the silica hazard.

It simply removed one particularly high-risk category of material from many workplaces.

What about older engineered stone?

Legacy engineered stone can still exist.

This includes engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs installed before the ban, as well as certain uninstalled stock.

SafeWork NSW states that work involving processing legacy engineered stone must be notified to SafeWork NSW.

For anyone working in renovation, demolition, maintenance or property refurbishment, this is an important reminder:

Don't assume an older kitchen benchtop is safe to cut, drill, grind or modify simply because it is already installed.

If you are unsure what material you are dealing with, stop and seek appropriate advice before processing it.

Respiratory protection isn't just "put a mask on"

Where respiratory protective equipment is required, the equipment needs to be appropriate for the task and used correctly.

SafeWork NSW states that workers required to use close-fitting respiratory protective equipment must have their masks fit tested when they start working and every 12 months thereafter.

That means businesses need to think beyond:

"Have we got masks?"

The better questions are:

• Are they suitable for the hazard?

• Are workers trained to use them?

• Are they being worn correctly?

• Are they being maintained?

• Are workers clean-shaven where required for a tight-fitting respirator?

• Has fit testing been completed where required?

• Are workers still being exposed because the source of the dust hasn't been controlled?

A respirator should be part of a system — not the system itself.

Silica exposure can have a long tail

Unlike a fall, cut or crush injury, silica exposure may not produce an obvious immediate injury.

That's one reason it can be underestimated.

SafeWork NSW identifies silicosis as a serious disease associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica, and notes that the latency between exposure and disease can make silica safety less visible than other construction hazards.

This changes the way we need to think about the hazard.

A worker may finish a shift feeling completely fine.

That doesn't mean the work was safe.

The objective is to prevent hazardous exposure in the first place.

SafeWork NSW is paying attention

Silica isn't simply a theoretical compliance issue.

SafeWork NSW continues to target silica exposure as a priority in construction.

Its construction data has identified crystalline silica exposure alongside other major harms such as falls, electrical contact and moving plant.

And the issue continues to result in enforcement action.

In July 2026, a NSW stone-cutting company and its director were convicted and fined a combined $135,000 following a SafeWork NSW prosecution relating to the risk of workers being exposed to respirable crystalline silica.

The message for businesses is straightforward:

Silica safety needs to be actively managed — not simply written into a policy.

A five-minute silica check for your workplace

Walk around your workplace and ask:

1. What materials containing crystalline silica are we using?

Don't assume the answer is only engineered stone.

2. What tasks generate dust?

Look at cutting, drilling, grinding, demolition, excavation and clean-up.

3. Can we eliminate or change the task?

Could a different product, tool or work method remove the need to generate dust?

4. What controls are actually being used?

Don't just look at the SWMS.

Look at what is happening on the job.

5. Are the controls working?

Is water actually being used?

Is dust extraction connected and working?

Is the work area properly isolated?

Are workers following the procedure?

6. Are workers appropriately trained and informed?

Workers need to understand the hazard, the controls and how to use the equipment provided.

7. Is respiratory protection being managed properly?

If RPE is required, check that the equipment, fit testing, use and maintenance arrangements are appropriate.

The Mid North Coast reality

Construction across our region doesn't happen in a laboratory.

It happens in houses, commercial buildings, renovations, roads, farms, workshops and development sites.

It happens in Port Macquarie, Wauchope, Kempsey, Taree, Crescent Head, Bonny Hills and throughout the wider Mid North Coast.

Workers deal with changing weather, changing worksites, changing crews and changing deadlines.

That makes practical safety even more important.

The safest approach isn't to wait until an inspector arrives.

It's to build good habits into the job from the beginning.

Before you cut — think about the dust.

Before you drill — think about the exposure.

Before you start the job — think about the controls.

Safety starts before the tool is switched on

A good pre-start conversation can take only a few minutes.

Ask:

What are we cutting?

What dust could it create?

Who could be exposed?

How are we controlling it?

What happens if the control doesn't work?

Those questions can be more valuable than simply telling workers to "be careful".

Because safety isn't about hoping the hazard doesn't cause a problem.

It's about identifying the hazard and controlling it before the work begins.

The Mid North Coast Safety Handbook

This is Edition 3 of The Mid North Coast Safety Handbook, SALT Training Academy's ongoing series of practical safety information for local businesses, workers and organisations.

Our aim is simple:

Make workplace safety information practical, relevant and useful for the businesses that keep our region moving.

Future editions will continue exploring the real-world safety issues faced by Mid North Coast workplaces.

Because safer workplaces aren't created by paperwork alone.

They're created when people understand the hazard, know the controls and take safety seriously — every day.

SALT Training Academy

Practical workplace training across Port Macquarie and the Mid North Coast.

Courses include First Aid, CPR, White Card, Working Safely at Heights, Low Voltage Rescue and Silica and Asbestos Awareness.

Training and assessment delivered on behalf of Allens Training Pty Ltd RTO 90909.