Silica Training

Are you aware of the risks Silica poses to your employees & you as a business owner?

With new regulations on silica use taking effect and updated safety requirements now in place, the demand for accredited training is rapidly increasing. Ensure your business remains compliant and fully operational by securing your place in our 2026 Silica Awareness Training course.

Crystalline silica training must be provided at induction & as refresher training, must be accredited or regulator-approved and must focus on health risks, exposure controls and safe work practices. One of the nationally recognised units of competency approved by Worksafe is:

CPCSIL3001 – Work with products and materials containing crystalline silica

What is Crystalline Silica?

Crystalline silica is a naturally occurring mineral found in sand, stone, concrete, mortar, bricks, tiles, engineered stone, and some plastics. When these materials are cut, crushed, drilled, polished, sawn, or ground, they release fine dust particles small enough to be inhaled deep into the lungs. These particles are known as respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and can cause serious, potentially fatal illness.

What are the health risks?

Inhaling RCS can lead to:

Silicosis – irreversible scarring and stiffening of the lungs
Lung cancer
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Kidney disease

Silica dust is extremely fine with some respirable silica particles measuring ~0.2-1 µm which are as small as some cigarette smoke particles, so workers may breathe it in without realising.

In Australia, silica exposure contributes to around 230 cases of lung cancer each year!

Common Work Activities That Generate RCS

Do any of your employees undertake these activities at work?

Excavation, earthmoving and drilling
Clay, sand and stone processing
Cutting, grinding, polishing or laying brick, concrete, stone and pavers
Construction, tunnelling and demolition
Angle grinding, chiselling, or jackhammering
Road construction and surfacing
Abrasive blasting (must use media with <1% crystalline silica)
Foundry casting
Pottery, ceramics
Crushing, loading, hauling or dumping rock
Clean-up activities such as sweeping or compressed air blowing

If they do, then it’s important to make sure your team is trained in silica awareness.

Employer Responsibilities

Businesses must eliminate or minimise worker exposure to RCS by identifying silica hazards, assessing associated risks, and implementing effective control measures such as water suppression, ventilation, safe work practices, PPE, and health monitoring. They must also ensure the workplace meets the required exposure standard for RCS.

Under WHS laws, employers are obligated to provide appropriate silica safety training to workers involved in processing crystalline silica substances (CSS), those undertaking high-risk processing, and anyone who may be exposed to RCS. Even when processing is not classified as high risk, employers must still provide suitable information, instruction, training, and supervision to protect their workers.

High Risk Training Academy Can Help

We’re happy to announce that High Risk Training Academy is accredited to deliver CPCSIL3001 – Work with products and materials containing crystalline silica

We can provide all required silica safety training for your workers, including:

Induction and refresher training
High-risk crystalline silica processing training
On-site or mobile delivery
Practical, industry-focused instruction aligned with WHS legislation