The NSW Government has recently launched a trial of world-first technology to accurately monitor silica dust levels in the air. This has the potential to protect NSW鈥檚 workers from contracting the deadly lung disease silicosis.听
Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation, Kevin Anderson, said the innovative detector could be used by workers cutting or working with manufactured or other silica containing stone, protecting them from unknowingly inhaling dangerous levels of silica dust.听
鈥淲e鈥檙e on a mission to stamp out silicosis in this state. This ground-breaking device allows us, for the first time, to monitor exposure levels in real-time ensuring workers can remove themselves from harmful exposure before it鈥檚 too late,鈥 Mr Anderson said. 鈥淭his Government puts the safety of its citizens first, and the NSW Government鈥檚 investment into developing this device will help give peace of mind for anyone working with manufactured stone.鈥澨
The new detector is just one element of the NSW Government鈥檚 two-year plan to tackle dust diseases, including silicosis and asbestosis. Under the plan the NSW Government has already taken proactive measures to protect workers, including:
- reducing the legal exposure standard for silica exposure
- banning non-extracted dry cutting of manufactured stone
- making silicosis a notifiable disease, and听
- establishing a dust diseases register that will track, respond to, and prevent deadly dust diseases, including asbestosis and silicosis.听
The NSW Dust Strategy 2020-22 seeks to coordinate SafeWork NSW鈥檚 widespread exposure prevention activities to ensure consistent application of the controls and best practice principles across NSW鈥檚 worksites. 鈥淲e鈥檝e consulted widely with unions, employers鈥 associations and the building and construction sector to develop a robust and practical strategy and look forward to working with industry to implement these principles and end dust diseases for good,鈥 Mr Anderson said.
Interestingly NSW will be the only State in Australia that will be able to measure the new reduced Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) that reduces the average exposure limit to 50 micrograms per cubic meter.
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