Australia's landmark ban on the manufacture, supply, processing and installation of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs commenced today. The ban has been introduced to protect workers from silicosis – a lung disease caused by exposure to respirable crystalline silica. 

According to a statement from health and safety policy body Safe Work Australia: "the ban does not apply to the controlled processing of previously installed engineered stone benchtops, panels or slabs for the purposes of removal, repair or minor modification, or the controlled processing of installed or uninstalled engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs for the purposes of disposal.

Any processing involved in work with legacy engineered stone for the above purposes must be controlled and PCBUs* must notify the relevant WHS regulator prior to carrying out this work with legacy engineered stone."

Stronger regulations of all crystalline silica substances will come into effect from 1 September 2024. 

Details of the ban and any transitional periods may be location-specific and any businesses concerned should visit Safe Work Australia's website for further information and to download the resources. 

*A person conducting a business or undertaking