Engineered stone banned
Engineered Stone will be banned in Queensland from 1 July 2024.
What does that mean?
The use, supply and manufacture of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs containing + 1% crystalline silica, will be PROHIBITED.
From 1 July 2024, work with engineered stone in the manufacturing, supply, processing and installation of bench stops, and slabs must cease … even if a contract requiring that work to be done was entered into before that date.
Due to an unacceptable risk to workers’ safety, there will be no transition period.
What do you do?
If you have a contract requiring engineered stone to be installed and you can’t install it before 1 July 2024, you need to seek a variation to your contract from your Owner/Principal to exclude that work or to change the finish away from engineered stone, on the basis of the ban and that to do that work after 1 July 2024 will be illegal.
The ban will not apply to the removal, repair, minor modification or disposal of engineered stone installed before 1 July 2024 but:-
working with ‘legacy engineered stone’ will be the subject WH&S regulations expected by 1 September; and
disposal of engineered stone in stock, must occur in accordance with existing waste management requirements.
Work with silica containing products that are not included in the ban (for example, natural stone) will still be subject to the Codes of Practice, applicable to managing respirable crystalline dust exposure.
