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About occupational dusts
Occupational dusts are created through work processes, including:
- tunnelling
- mining
- cutting
- filing
- drilling
- sanding
- grinding.
When materials are processed, fine solid particles, known as dusts, are dispersed into the air.
Common occupational dusts include:
- silica
- asbestos
- coal
- wood
- metals.
Health impacts of occupational dusts
Breathing in occupational dusts can cause:
- coughing
- shortness of breath or abnormal breathing
- chest pain
- mucus in your airways.
Short and long-term exposure to certain dusts, fumes, vapours, gasses and micro-organisms can cause respiratory diseases such as:
- silicosis
- asbestosis
- pneumoconiosis (black lung disease)
- lung cancer.
Early detection and prevention
The National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry helps to identify, reduce and eliminate preventable occupational respiratory diseases. It supports early detection, intervention and prevention activities.
Silica dust
Over the past 15 years in Australia, there has been an increase in silicosis – a serious lung condition caused by inhaling very fine silica dust.
The National Dust Disease Taskforce to develop a national approach to:
- reduce incidences of silicosis and other dust diseases among workers
- increase the quality of life for people affected and their families.
In response to the National Dust Disease Taskforce final report, the Australian Government, along with states and territories, committed to various activities to help prevent, identify, control, and manage occupational dust diseases.
Work health and safety laws and regulations
Every Australian has the right to a safe workplace that is free from harmful occupational dusts.
Employers are responsible for providing a safe workplace that meets the standards set by their state or territory work health and safety (WHS) regulator.
They must also ensure no one in the workplace is exposed to levels of dust that exceed the workplace exposure standard.
Every state and territory has a WHS regulator to enforce its WHS laws. WHS regulators may provide advice and information on how to comply with the WHS laws in your state or territory.
Find out more about the WHS regulator in your state or territory.
National guidance for healthcare professionals
National guidance is available to help healthcare professionals identify, assess and treat people who are exposed to respirable crystalline silica dust.