You must provide crystalline silica training to:

• any worker involved in processing of a crystalline silica substance (CSS) that is high risk; or
• who is at risk of exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) because of that

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.

There are several options available to PCBUs to ensure workers are appropriately trained.

Any training undertaken must meet a set of criteria in order to be deemed ‘approved training’ in NSW.

If you wish to develop in-house training or arrange for training to be delivered by a third party, and that training meets the below criteria, it will be considered regulator-approved training.

Course criteria

1. Identify the health risks associated with exposure to RCS, including signs and symptoms of

2. How to determine if a material contains crystalline silica, including:
   1. an explanation of the forms of crystalline silica listed in 529A of the WHS Regulation
   2. the common materials and products known to contain

3. How to interpret safety data sheets (SDS) and manufacturer’s information, including the meaning of ‘processing’ in relation to CSS as defined by section 529A of the WHS

4. How RCS is generated during processing, how workers can be exposed and the relevant workplace exposure standards for the forms of RCS.

5. What is ‘controlled’ processing of CSS under section 529B of the WHS

6. The requirements for the controls listed in subsection 529B(1)(b) of the WHS Regulation, how they work and how to use them.

7. The types of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) specified by AS/NZS1715:2009 Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment, deemed as being suitable to protect against exposure to RCS.

8. How to determine if RPE is compliant with the required standard AS/NZS 1716:2012 Respiratory protective devices.

9. Fit-checking, fit-testing and facial-hair requirements for tight-fitting RPE in compliance with AS/NZS 1715:2009 Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment.

10. General housekeeping and cleaning methods to eliminate or minimise risk of exposure to RCS for CSS processes.

11. WHS Regulation requirements for:
    1. silica risk control plans (or safe work method statements (SWMS) for construction work) under section 529CB of the WHS Regulation when undertaking processing which is high risk.
    2. compliance with a silica risk control plan under section 529CC of the WHS Regulation or, for SWMS, section 300 of the WHS Regulation.
    3. compliance with section 529CE including:
       1. determining when air monitoring may be required under section 50 of the WHS
       2. providing the regulator with results of any air monitoring undertaken which shows the airborne concentration of RCS has exceeded the workplace exposure standard for crystalline silica.
       3. determining when health monitoring may be required under part 7.1 division 6 of the WHS Regulation.

The following existing courses are also recognised as approved training in NSW:

• TAFE NSW course: Silica awareness and safety
• 10830NAT –Course in Crystalline Silica Exposure Prevention
• Units of Competency –Silica Safety:
  • CPCSIL3001 -Work with products and materials containing crystalline silica; or
  • CPCSIL4001 -Supervise and manage work with products and materials generatingrespirable crystalline silica.

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.

Record of training

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.

If your workers complete either the TAFE course or the Units of Competency, they will be issued with either a TAFE NSW Certificate of Completion or a Registered Training Organisation Statement of Attainment that includes either: 10830NAT, CPCSIL3001 or CPCSIL4001.

Or if your worker attends alternate training, then you should maintain records that demonstrate your worker completed training that meets the appropriate criteria to be deemed an approved training course in NSW. In this case, you can use this completed “Silica training record” form as your record.

For more information visit safework.nsw.gov.au