Silicosis is an occupational lung disease contracted by a worker after excessive workplace exposure to silica dust. Once contracted, there's currently no known treatment which will arrest the progression of the disease.¹

Medical practitioners and other health professionals need to identify at-risk workers to minimise the impact of silicosis and related diseases. This includes effective health screening and early diagnosis, management, and support of affected workers.²

The College has been instrumental to establishing health care strategies to eradicate these preventable diseases in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Our members have championed changes through:

• Membership of expert groups, like the National Dust Diseases Taskforce.
• Writing detailed evidence-based submissions to governments and organisations.
• Leading and promoting research priorities to build the evidence base and knowledge.
• Providing expert workplace health advice to stakeholders.
• Calling for a national occupational respiratory disease registry.

The drive for change

We recommend:

• A national regulatory framework and enforcement plan for all States and Territories.
• A national respiratory protection program delivered in partnership with the States and Territories.
• Opportunities and support for specialist physicians to engage with employers, supervisors, workplace regulators and unions to identify and assess silica exposure and other hazards which are work, health and safety issues.
• Inclusion of occupational and environmental medicine and respiratory medicine expertise on jurisdictional bodies with the responsibility for addressing workplace health conditions.
• Full implementation of the recommendations from the 2021 National Dust Disease Taskforce report.
• Implementation of an appropriate national monitoring and evaluation framework.
• Full implementation of the National Silicosis Prevention Strategy (PDF) developed by the Australian Lung Foundation and a steering committee with several RACP members.
• Comprehensive training for physicians and other health professionals engaged in preventing, screening and managing silicosis and related diseases.
• Appropriate funding for research to identify risk factors, disease progression and effective management of occupational respiratory diseases.³

Resources

• National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry | 2024
• National guidance for doctors assessing workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica dust | 2022
• National Dust Disease Taskforce – Final report (PDF) | 2021

Media statements

• Ban on engineered stone welcomed by physicians | December 2023
• 'National dust disease registry will save lives' - physicians welcome new legislation | November 2023
• Physicians support total ban of engineered stone, but urges more reform required | October 2023
• RACP says respiratory protection program must be on agenda to prevent further silicosis deaths | February 2023
• ‘Accelerated silicosis the tip of the iceberg’ — Physicians call for national approach to protect workers | February 2023

Submissions

2023

• Submission to the Inquiry into the National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry Bill 2023 (PDF) | joint AFOEM and TSANZ
• RACP Feedback on National Silicosis Prevention Strategy 2023-2028 and National Action Plan (PDF) | joint AFOEM, TSANZ and ANZSOM
• RACP submission: Safe Work Australia consultation on a prohibition ban on the use of engineered stone (PDF) | joint AFOEM, TSANZ and ANZSOM

2020 to 2022

• RACP submission to Safe Work Australia Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (PDF)
• RACP submission to the NSW Legislative Council Standing Committee on Law and Justice – 2021 Review of the Dust Diseases Scheme (PDF)
• RACP submission to the National Dust Disease Taskforce, second consultation (PDF)

References
¹ Austin EK, James C, Tessier J. Early detection methods for silicosis in Australia and internationally: a review of the literature.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021 Jul 31;18(15):8123.
² Hoy RF, Dimitriadis C, Abramson M, Glass DC, Gwini S, Hore-Lacy F, Jimenez-Martin J, Walker-Bone K, Sim MR. Prevalence and risk factors for silicosis among a large cohort of stone benchtop industry workers. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2023 Jun 16.
³ Alif SM, Glass DC, Abramson M, Hoy R, Sim MR. Occupational Lung Diseases in Australia. 2020 Feb. Pages 1 to 86. Safe Work Australia.