Silica or silicon dioxide (SiO2) is a very common mineral including sandstone, concrete, brick grout, mortar and natural and engineered stone. Silica is also known as quartz, tripoli, cristobalite and tridymite.
What is a crystalline silica substance?
The Work Health and Safety Regulations define a crystalline silica substance (CSS) as a material containing at least 1% crystalline silica (by weight).
Examples of a CSS include, but are not limited to:
- natural stone products such as marble or granite benchtops
- engineered stone
- sintered stone
- porcelain and ceramic products
- sandstone
- asphalt
- cement products containing fly ash, mortar and grout
- bricks, blocks, pavers, tiles and mortar
- concrete and cement-based products, such as fibre-cement sheeting and autoclaved-aerated concrete
- most rocks, sands and clays, and composite dental fillings.
PCBUs may confirm crystalline silica content in a product or substance by referring to the relevant safety data sheet. When safety data sheets are not available, other information sources including product information or technical data sheets may be consulted.
Common industries
Crystalline silica is in most rocks, soil, sand and clay. It is used to manufacture products like bricks, concrete, engineered stone and tiles. RCS is often generated when a silica is processed through the use of power tools and other mechanical processes. These processes occur across a broad range of workplaces and industries including manufacturing, stonemasonry, construction, tunnelling, demolition, mining and quarrying.
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