Silica is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth. It is found in construction materials such as concrete, bricks, tiles, sandstone and composite (engineered or manufactured) stone benchtops.
When these materials are worked on (drilled, cut, crushed and so on), silica is released as a fine dust known as respirable crystalline silica or silica dust.
Silica dust is harmful when inhaled into your lungs and can lead to several conditions from chronic bronchitis to silicosis or lung cancer.
What’s more, respirable silica dust particles are 100 times smaller than a grain of sand, so you can breathe them in without even knowing it.
According to Cancer Council Australia, approximately 587,000 Australian workers were exposed to silica dust in the workplace in 2011.*
The good news is that silica related illnesses are preventable and Pinnacle Safety and Training’s online Silica Awareness course is just one measure you can take to help minimise the risks.
There are no prerequisites and the course can be completed online in your own time. Furthermore, it can be done in less than an hour.
*Source: https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/workplace-cancer/silica-dust
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