Glen Farrell, Acting Director, Compliance and Enforcement, SafeWorkSA Dust, disease & Risk: an update focusing on Silicosis

1. Dust diseases and risk:
An update focussing on silicosis
Glenn Farrell
Director, Compliance and Enforcement

4. • Asbestosis
• Coal workers’ pneu’ (black lung)
• Silicosis
Most common types of
pneumoconiosis in Australia

5. Crystalline silica

6. Where do I find silica dust in construction and manufacturing?
Sources of dust
Secondary
Dust that recirculates
Primary
Dust that’s generated
Materials containing Silica
Engineered stone
Fibre cement board
Concrete
Sandstone
Brick
Plasterboard
5 – 40% crystalline silica
61 - 68% crystalline silica
50 - 60% crystalline silica
< 5% crystalline silica
20 – 60% crystalline silica
> 93% crystalline silica

7. Current workplace exposure standard for respirable crystalline silica (rcs) =
0.1 mg/m3 (in an 8 hour Time Weighted Average period)
3 Classes of Dust
• Inhalable dust :
• trapped in mouth and
nose
• Thoracic dust :
• trapped in upper part of
the airway
• Respirable dust :
• penetrates deep into the
lungs
• < 10 µm in diameter
WES for RCS of 0.1 mg/m3
Sounds like a little ?
Probably 72 million RCS particles !
Where the dust goes Sanity check

9. Focus of audits:
• Prohibiting uncontrolled dry
cutting
• Control measures – isolation,
water suppression, LEV & RPE
• Adequacy and maintenance of
control measures
• Cleaning & housekeeping
• Environmental monitoring
• Health monitoring
• Information for workers

10. • Safe Work Australia
• Supply Industry
• National Task Force (dust disease)
• State based campaigns