Health & Safety

Caesarstone® is a multi-material company that manufactures and distributes a range of benchtop surfaces, such as Mineral Crystalline Silica-Free and Porcelain. Whilst the name Caesarstone® is commonly used to describe the surface, it is one brand of benchtop surfaces.

The below products are approved and available in the Australian market;

• Caesarstone Mineral™ Crystalline Silica-Free surfaces are manufactured from amorphous silica, pigments and binding agents to assist with the hardening process.
• Caesarstone Porcelain is made of clay and other natural minerals and contains up to 20% crystalline silica (SiO2).

The ban relates to the importation, supply and processing of engineered stone, products with greater than 1% crystalline silica content. The national ban follows calls from health experts, unions, and workers affected by silica exposure.
It targets engineered stone products with high silica content and does NOT apply to work on:

• Panels, slabs or benchtops made with sintered stone providing they do not contain resin.
• Engineered Stone products that are not benchtops, panels or slabs such as finished products including garden ornaments, sculptures, kitchen sinks and jewellery.
• Natural Stone benchtops, panels and slabs eg granite benchtops
• Other artificial products containing silica

Effective from July 1 2024, the ban prohibits the use, sale, and importation of high-silica content engineered stone products, impacting industries such as construction, fabrication, and manufacturing. 

Businesses are now required to transition to safer materials, implement stringent dust control measures, and comply with updated Workplace Exposure Levels for respirable crystalline silica. 

Caesarstone Mineral™ Crystalline Silica-Free and Caesarstone Porcelain products are approved post July 1st 2024 and are NOT banned in Australia.

Caesarstone surfaces maintain the most stringent industry standards for health and environment, as listed below, and as presented on the Caesarstone website.

Caesarstone products are compliant with the National Sanitation Foundation International standard, ensuring that our working surfaces are safe for use in all food environments.

Caesarstone’s production plants have a certified Environmental Management System in accord with ISO 14001, and a Health & Safety Management System in accord with OHSAS 18001/ISO 45001 (USA).

Caesarstone is a registered member of the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) and the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

Caesarstone surfaces comply with the American GEI (GREENGUARD Environmental Institute) certification, which primarily verifies that Caesarstone’s products meet the most stringent air emission standards.

Caesarstone surfaces contain pre-consumer recycled materials, such as up to 85% recycled glass in Caesarstone Mineral™ Crystalline Silica-Free surfaces

Caesarstone surfaces are kosher due to their low porosity.

Since Caesarstone Australia began operations in Australia, we have provided the independent stonemason industry information about the safety measures required to be implemented when working in a silica dust environment.
 

Initiatives include:

• Every stonemason customer has been provided with comprehensive instructions via the Caesarstone Good Practice Guide, Caesarstone Fabrication & Installation Guide, and Safety Data Sheets, which are also available online and for download from mos.caesarstone.com.au.

• Caesarstone launched the  industry’s first  professional training centre in the online, interactive Master of Stone™ training centre, to enhance our continued efforts to actively promote and educate the safe handling of our products by stonemasons.

• Master of Stone Health & Safety knowledge platforms - Caesarstone has launched the industry’s first online training platform, Master of Stone, to enhance our continued efforts to actively promote and educate safe handling of our products by stonemasons.

• Each and every slab that is allocated from the Caesarstone warehouse includes all relevant warning labels, and health and safety information to ensure all persons fabricating the surfaces are aware of all practices required.

• Caesarstone conducted a series of workshops across Australia, inviting a wide range of stonemasons to attend to receive training and updates on safe working practices.
• Caesarstone staff regularly visit customer work sites and respond to any queries on health and safety.
• Contracts, agreements and invoices issued contain relevant safety information.
• Established a national technical training team to support safe practices within the industry.
• Caesarstone provides safety and compliance information and updates issued by state regulatory bodies via multiple forms of communication to ensure product knowledge and that all PCBU’s and duty holders are aware of their responsibilities.

Processing stone surfaces that contain crystalline silica generates dust particles, hazardous to human health. Part of the silica dust contains small particles which are “respirable” – that is, breathable – and are tiny enough to bypass the body’s defenses and enter the lungs. This can cause irreparable damage to the lungs and can result in silicosis (see What Is Silicosis?)

The objectives of this Guide are to:

• Reiterate the information about the well-known risks and health hazards during working in an environment where respirable crystalline silica dust is created; and
• Remind you of certain information to assist in reducing workers’ exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust, including information on the safe use of products containing crystalline silica in the workplace and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that must be used where there is the risk of exposure to harmful airborne contaminants such as respirable crystalline silica dust.

Everybody within the supply chain has a responsibility;

Manufacturers - need to provide safe work processes, ensuring that all raw materials and certifications are relevant and adhered to.

Distributors – ensure that all product compliance, and technical documentation are available for process workers.

PCBU’s & Duty Holders – must implement all local government regulations and ensure they are always adhering adhere to all health and safety regulations.

Process workers – always adhere to all health and safety regulations. 

Absolutely not. Caesarstone surfaces in their solid form are completely safe in a domestic and commercial environments and poses no risks to human health. Silicosis is an occupational disease resulting from ongoing, unprotected exposure of workers to silica dust.

The health risk lies in the processing of the slabs, if this process isn’t performed in accordance with health and safety regulation requirements. The professionals performing these processes, possess the knowledge and tools to protect themselves from the silica dust. As in environments where professional technical work is carried out, no person other that the qualified tradesperson may be present during fabrication.

Exposure to respirable crystalline particles of a very small size (less than 10 microns) may cause silicosis, an incurable, progressively disabling and sometimes fatal lung disease. Silica dust particles become trapped in lung tissue, causing inflammation and scarring and reducing the lungs’ ability to take in oxygen. Symptoms of silicosis can include progressive shortness of breath, cough and fatigue. Safety controls such as wet processing with a constant flow of water, sufficient ventilation, dust extraction and the use of appropriate respiratory protection that has been fit tested, will reduce the level of exposure to harmful dust.

Yes. Exposure to crystalline silica dust and the related risks that may result from such exposure can be reduced and controlled if the proper safety measures are implemented. These measures include, among others, installing proper engineering controls (ventilation and filtration), working with CNC machines and water-injected tools, and using appropriate respiratory protection.

You must assess and ensure that occupational exposure to airborne crystalline silica dust is below the Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL) & Workplace Exposure Levels (WEL) established by your local authority and regulations. Always apply your local laws and regulations regarding working in environments containing harmful dust.

In order to control and reduce the health risks associated with exposure to crystalline silica dust, we recommend that a Silica Control Plan be implemented in the workplace in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, orders and directives. This plan should be reviewed on a regular basis or whenever there is a change to the way work is conducted.

Every Caesarstone manufacturing employee receives comprehensive training regarding the safe handling of our materials and products. In addition, all manufacturing facilities have clearly visible safety guidelines. There are no manufacturing facilities in Australia as all slabs are imported. However, all staff who may enter a fabrication workshop are issued with safety equipment and training for when they may have to enter these premises. We also conduct regular air monitoring of all our distribution centres.

Silica is one of the most common compounds on earth. It is composed of two chemical elements: silicon and oxygen (silicon dioxide, SiO2). Silica is found in nature in various forms, mainly as sand, and also as rocks and stones such as marble, granite, quartz and cristobalite. It is a component of many manufactured products in daily use, such as glass, pottery and benchtops; and very commonly used in construction and at various concentrations in bricks, blocks, tiles, slabs, cement and concrete.

Silica is a naturally occurring mineral found in most rocks and soils used to produce many products used in everyday life. It is also found in multiple industries like the below:

• Underground mining, tunneling and excavation work
• Extraction and cutting of quartzite, gneiss, granite, sandstone and slate
• Foundries
• Glass manufacturing plants
• Brick making
• Manufacture of glass, pottery, porcelain, bricks, ceramic tiles, pavers
• Underground mining, tunneling and excavation work
• Road building
• Building construction
• Demolition work where potential sites of silica exist e.g. breaking up concrete
• Explosive blasting work