Proud mum moment towards the end of 2023 when Safe Work Australia made the recommendation to prohibit the use of engineered stone to protect workers from silica dust. We then kicked off 2024 with a reduction in the exposure standard for welding fumes from 5mg/m3 to 1 mg/m3. Both of these changes when passed by each State Regulator will prompt a change in the design of work. My prediction is that this will also be the catalyst for a review of other hazardous materials such as asbestos etc. With the increased focus on exposure and health monitoring new monitoring products have entered the market. These products have enhanced capabilities and have features that can provide live time data on exposure and improved recording keeping ability, which will be useful and insightful for the worker, particularly for tracking lifetime exposure to a hazardous material.

Links: Engineered Stone, Welding

Tip: Pre employment medicals, annual health assessments and exit medicals are important assessments to build into the employee life cycle. These assessments help with identifying appropriate tasks employees should be conducting, the effectiveness of controls, and an employee's exposure levels at the end of their employment. There are many organisations that provide specific health assessments for employees who work with hazardous materials.