NSW launches new Silica Worker Register

To monitor and track the health of at-risk workers undertaking high-risk processing of crystalline silica substances (CSS), the NSW Government has launched the new Silica Worker Register (SWR).

Persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) will be required to register all workers engaged in high-risk CSS processing as soon as reasonably practical and no more than 28 days from the date that the worker commences work, under the new Work Health and Safety Amendment (Silica Worker Register) Regulation 2025.

Tasks such as cutting, drilling, grinding or polishing are involved in the processing of CSS, with silica dust-induced diseases such as silicosis caused by inhalation of very fine crystalline silica dust particles. Workers in the mining and construction, tunnelling and engineered stone industries are at greatest risk.

“Workers who undertake high-risk processing of crystalline silica substances may be exposed to respirable crystalline silica dust, which can cause serious health issues such as silicosis and lung cancer,” SafeWork NSW Commissioner Janet Schorer said.

“The Silica Worker Register is a valuable measure to ensure at-risk workers are receiving health monitoring and ensure any changes to an individual worker’s health are detected as early as possible.

“This is an important step in the fight against silica-related illnesses.

“SafeWork NSW continues to work with industry to ensure compliance with existing safety standards when working with crystalline silica.

“I call on all businesses to be aware of their legal obligations to register all workers who undertake high-risk processing of crystalline silica substances at their workplace.”

There have been 516 cases of silicosis and 36 deaths due to the disease in NSW since 2017. Since January 2024, SafeWork NSW says more than 100 site inspections have been undertaken in tunnelling sites in the Sydney metro area, while SafeWork NSW inspectors have conducted more than 5200 workplace visits related to silica since 2018. Over this period, SafeWork NSW has issued 2496 improvement notices, 181 prohibition notices and 33 penalty notices related to silica dust across industries.

More information, including details on how to register and what information employers need to provide, is available here, via the silica worker register notification page on the SafeWork NSW website.

Image credit: iStock.com/Sam Edwards. Stock image used is for illustrative purposes only.