If your workers process or are exposed to crystalline silica dust on the job, they almost certainly need silica awareness training.
In NSW, the law now requires approved training for any worker involved in high-risk processing of a crystalline silica substance, or any worker at risk of exposure to respirable crystalline silica because of that processing.
This guide explains who needs silica awareness training in NSW, which industries are affected, and what your duties are as an employer.
Is silica awareness training mandatory in NSW?
Who needs silica awareness training in NSW?
Which industries need silica awareness training?
What counts as high-risk silica processing?
What employers must do beyond training
Why silica awareness training matters
Frequently asked questions
Make sure your team is trained and compliant
A summary of who needs silica awareness training
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Is silica awareness training mandatory in NSW?
Yes. Since 1 September 2024, the NSW Work Health and Safety Regulation has required employers to provide approved training to workers who process or are exposed to crystalline silica. It is a legal duty, not a recommendation, and it sits alongside other obligations such as risk control plans and health monitoring.
The requirement applies to a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking, which in practice means the employer. If your team works with silica-containing materials, the responsibility to arrange compliant training rests with you.
Who needs silica awareness training in NSW?
Two groups of workers must complete approved silica awareness training, and a third group must be given safety information and instruction. Knowing which group your workers fall into is the first step to getting compliant. According to SafeWork NSW, the categories are based on whether a worker processes silica, and whether that processing is high risk.
Workers who do high-risk processing
Any worker involved in processing a crystalline silica substance that is high risk must complete approved training. Processing covers cutting, grinding, drilling, polishing, crushing, sanding and similar work that disturbs silica-containing material and releases dust into the air.
Workers at risk of exposure from that processing
Approved training is also required for workers who are at risk of exposure to respirable crystalline silica because high-risk processing is happening around them. A worker does not have to operate the tool themselves to be covered. Sharing a workspace with high-risk processing can be enough.
Everyone else who may be exposed
Beyond approved training, employers must give all workers who may be exposed to silica information and instruction on how to work safely with silica products. This is a lighter duty than full approved training, but it still applies, and it is easy to overlook.
| “I’ve worked with people living with chronic lung conditions caused by workplace exposure, and the toll is devastating. The encouraging part is that these diseases are preventable. Training is one of the most direct ways an employer can protect their team, and getting it right is far easier than dealing with the consequences.” Kate O’Connor, National Program Manager, Munro Respiratory Services |
Which industries need silica awareness training?
Silica awareness training applies across any industry where workers disturb materials that contain crystalline silica. Common materials include engineered stone, concrete, brick, tile, sand and mortar, so the reach is wide. The industries most affected in NSW include:
- Construction and demolition
- Mining and exploration
- Quarrying and tunnelling
- Stone masonry and stone fabrication
- Drilling and hydraulic fracturing
- Manufacturing and foundries
This list is not exhaustive. If your workers handle, cut or work near any high-risk crystalline silica material, training is likely to apply. Munro Respiratory Services delivers silica awareness training across NSW, on-site or remotely, to teams in all of these industries.
What counts as high-risk silica processing?
Processing is considered high risk when a risk assessment finds it is reasonably likely to put someone’s health at risk. The NSW WHS Regulation puts the responsibility on the employer to assess each task and decide whether it meets that threshold. If you cannot tell whether processing is high risk, you must treat it as high risk until proven otherwise.
A few practical signals that processing is likely high risk:
- Dry cutting, grinding or drilling of silica-containing material
- Work in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces
- Tasks that generate visible dust without effective controls in place
- Engineered stone fabrication, which is a known high-exposure source
The safest approach is to assume training applies and confirm through a proper assessment, rather than assume your team is exempt.
What employers must do beyond training
Training is one duty among several. Employers who carry out high-risk silica processing in NSW also have to register workers, keep records and put control measures in place. Getting these right protects your team and keeps your business compliant if SafeWork NSW reviews your site.
Key employer obligations include:
- Register high-risk workers.Since 1 October 2025, SafeWork NSW has required employers to notify workers undertaking high-risk silica processing to the Silica Worker Register within 28 days of that work starting.
- Keep training records.Records of completed training must be retained while a worker remains in a silica-exposure role and for a period after they leave.
- Have a silica risk control plan.A documented plan must be in place before high-risk processing begins, with controls applied to reduce exposure.
Munro Respiratory Services provides training records on completion, which makes this part of compliance simpler to manage.
Why silica awareness training matters
Silica awareness training matters because the health consequences of exposure are severe and irreversible. Respirable crystalline silica can cause silicosis, an incurable lung disease, as well as lung cancer. Training helps workers recognise the risk and use controls correctly before damage is done.
The scale of the problem is significant. According to Curtin University modelling commissioned by the ACTU, more than half a million Australian workers are currently exposed to silica dust at work, with more than 10,000 predicted to develop lung cancer and up to 103,000 expected to be diagnosed with silicosis as a result of that exposure. Training is one of the most direct ways to reduce that toll on your own team.
For workers exposed to silica, training and a correctly fitted respirator work together. You can read more about respiratory fit testing and how it pairs with awareness training.
Frequently asked questions
Is silica awareness training mandatory for all workers in NSW?
No. Approved training is mandatory for workers who do high-risk processing of crystalline silica, or who are at risk of exposure because of that processing. All other workers who may be exposed must still be given information and instruction on working safely.
Does silica awareness training expire?
No. Silica awareness training is a one-off requirement and does not need to be repeated. However, training records must be kept while the worker stays in a silica-exposure role and for a set period after they leave.
Do workers who only work near silica dust need training?
Often, yes. Workers at risk of exposure to respirable crystalline silica because of nearby high-risk processing are covered by the approved training requirement, even if they do not operate the equipment themselves.
Who is responsible for providing silica awareness training?
The employer, known in the legislation as the Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking, is responsible for arranging approved training for affected workers and keeping the records.
How long does silica awareness training take?
With Munro Respiratory Services, training runs for around 45 minutes, with time for questions included, and can be delivered on-site or remotely to suit your team.
Make sure your team is trained and compliant
If your workers process or are exposed to crystalline silica, the law is clear and the health stakes are real. Munro Respiratory Services delivers approved silica awareness training across NSW, on-site or remotely, with training records provided on completion. Tell us how many people need training and we will arrange a session that suits your team.
