There are calls to ban engineered stone benchtops as modelling predicts thousands of Australian workers will develop lung cancer or silicosis due to exposure to silica dust.Credit:
In a study released on Tuesday,commissioned by the Australian Council of Trade Unions,lead researcher Dr Renee Carey said modelling predicted more than 10,000 Australians would develop lung cancer and up to 103,000 silicosis after being exposed to silica dust at work.
Carey said a ban on engineered stone could prevent about 100 lung cancer cases and 1000 silicosis cases.
John Curtin Distinguished Professor Lin Fritschi,a co-author of the study,said while a complete ban of engineered stone was the best option,it was possible to reduce the health impacts on workers through improved workplace safety measures.
“The damage from other types of silica-containing materials could be reduced by using better dust suppression techniques on mine and construction sites,and using wet-cutting during concrete cutting and grinding,” he said.
The researchers took the number of people exposed to silica dust in 2016 and,using existing studies,calculated their risk of developing associated diseases before measuring that data against how many cases were reported in the population in their modelling.
Silica dust is produced by many building products,but engineered stone – a composite of crushed stone,often quartz,bound with resin – is a particularly potent source.
A June 2021 report to the federal Department of Health urged “immediate action” to better protect workers from an “unacceptable re-emergence of silicosis in Australia”.