Lawyers representing stonemasons who have contracted a deadly lung disease say businesses should need a licence to work with artificial stone products.
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A Queensland government audit of 10 workplaces found 26 suffering from silicosis, six of whom were in the serious category.
The progressive and irreversible disease is contracted by breathing in tiny particles of silica dust that settle in the lungs.
State Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace on Tuesday announced the practice of "dry-cutting" engineered stone products had been identified as the cause of the silicosis instances.
Dry-cutting is technically already banned under workplace laws around safe work practices, but the government has cracked down on it and will change the relevant laws to explicitly ban it.
Roger Singh from Shine Lawyers says a number of those affected have contacted his firm and welcome the moves by the government, but they don't go far enough.
"It's time for a permanent systematic failsafe solution; a regime which has teeth whereby vigorous regulation including licensing requirements, enforcement and policing measures is implemented," Mr Singh said.
Ms Grace has written to her federal counterpart Kelly O'Dwyer to push for a national crackdown on dry cutting, and Mr Singh urged the federal government and other states to get on board.
"If other states were to also audit such workplaces there's extreme likelihood they will receive very similar outcomes," Mr Singh said.
"This is a nationwide issue, each day of unregulated exposure is sowing the seeds of death and destruction and positive action is required as a matter of priority."
Stonemason Anthony White was diagnosed with silicosis in 2017 after working for a Gold Coast company, and wants the federal government to address the issue.
"We need all stonemasons informed of the grave risk of inhaling this dust, and we need more than just the Queensland government committing to these important legal changes," he said.
There are fears dozens more silicosis cases could be uncovered in Queensland alone as the state's audit expands to 150 more businesses.
Engineered stone is becoming more common as a substitute for marble benchtops, but is made of around 90 per cent crystalline silica, one of the major causes of silicosis.
Australian Associated Press
