Crystalline Silica Training

South Australia has adopted the model work health and safety regulations which provide a duty for Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) to train workers about the risks of crystalline silica.

You must provide crystalline silica training to workers if:

  • they are involved in processing of a crystalline silica substance (CSS) that is high risk
  • they are at risk of exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) because of the processing of crystalline silica substance that is high risk.

If your workers are not undertaking high risk processing, you must still provide appropriate information, instruction, training or supervision to anyone who may be exposed to RCS at the workplace.

Crystalline silica training means training that is

  • Accredited, or Regulator approved training

Training can be undertaken face to face or online.

Approved training

Accredited training

Nationally recognised and transferable across all Australian states and territories including South Australia:

All Registered training organisations (RTOs) that have been approved to deliver 10830NAT  can be found here.

Regulator Approved Training

SafeWork SA is now accepting applications from specific parties to have their training considered as Regulator approved training under Regulation 529CD (4) of the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012. Businesses should ensure a training provider can show that their silica training package has been approved by SafeWork SA. Proof comes in the form of a letter issued from SafeWork SA. Approved training packages in other jurisdictions do not meet this requirement

The training must meet the course criteria, which can be found here.

The training must be delivered by a competent person and must be at least three hours in duration.

It is the responsibility of the PCBU to take reasonably practicable steps to determine whether the person engaged to deliver the course has acquired, through training, qualifications, or experience, the knowledge and skills necessary to competently deliver the training.

In making this determination, the PCBU should consider the person’s training, qualifications, and experience in areas such as work health and safety, hazardous chemical exposure, and the health effects of crystalline silica on workers.

Applications will be considered from the following eligible groups:

  • an employer or employee organisation that is registered, or taken to be registered, under the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 of the Commonwealth
  • an association of employers, employees or independent contractors, or both that is registered or recognised as such an association (however described) under a State or Territory industrial law
  • a registered training organisation
  • a certifying body representing work health and safety professionals
  • an organisation whose workforce is undertaking work with silica as part of their primary activities.

To support your application, you must attach a copy of your course content and a training plan with times for the training included.

You can use this  form to lodge applications for your training to be assessed in accordance with the Course Criteria.

If your course is approved by the Regulator the details of your organisation will be published.

Current Regulator Approved Training Courses

Any worker who can provide evidence of having successfully completed one of these courses prior to 1 September 2024 does not have to complete the training again.

Training records

You are required to keep a record of the training provided to workers, while they are carrying out the high-risk processing, and for five years after the day they stop working for your business. This record of training can be documented in your silica risk control plan.

Records of completed training include:

  • Registered Training Organisation Statement of Attainment that includes either: 10830NAT, CPCSIL3001 or CPCSIL4001.
  • Certificate of completion of Regulator Approved Training.