Australia to ban engineered stone
abc.net.au
Australia to ban engineered stone
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Re: Australia to ban engineered stone
#2This was caused by an alarming rise of silicosis cases in young “tradies” (Aussie slang for trade workers).
The government and various professional bodies tried to enforce the use of PPE when working with this material, but there has been a housing construction boom going on and a lot of corners were cut (hah!), resulting in young immigrant workers especially turning up in hospitals with lung cancer.
No matter how carefully you cut this stuff in a shop with a filtered HVAC, water sprays, and well-fitted respirators… there’s always that customer that just needs “one quick adjustment” on-site. One quick cut turns into one per day and a weird chest pain that just won’t go away.
So it’s been banned outright.
PS: Apparently engineered stone is mostly quartz (silica), whereas other bench top materials are typically other kinds of stone that don’t cause silicosis, or nowhere near at the same rate.
Re: Australia to ban engineered stone
#3This was caused by an alarming rise of silicosis cases in young “tradies” (Aussie slang for trade workers). The government and various professional bodies tried to enforce the use of PPE when working with this material, but there has been a housing construction boom going on and a lot of corners were cut (hah!), resulting in young immigrant workers especially turning up in hospitals with lung cancer. No matter how ca…
I was wondering why this material is so bad, it seems to be because it is mostly silica crystals. Without the resin holding it in place such a material wouldn't be possible.
90–93%: 99.9% pure silica in grits and powder form constitutes; 7–10%: Matrix of unsaturated polyester resin with catalysts to help with ambient temperature curing, according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineered_stone
Technically you can safely handle it, just like technically you can have lead or even asbestos in a lot of places. But some poorly paid worker ends up with ruined health in the end, so I can totally understand the ban.
Re: Australia to ban engineered stone
#4I don't think I've ever seen a tradesperson wearing PPE. Recent example: our neighbor had some stonework done, and these guys were just casually hanging out in clouds of cement and stone dust.
Re: Australia to ban engineered stone
#5I'm not a huge fan of government overreach like this. Workers should have refused to work with the material if it were truly dangerous, and the free market would have eventually pushed engineered stone out, giving way to innovation for a better, safer material.
Re: Australia to ban engineered stone
#6I'm not a huge fan of government overreach like this. Workers should have refused to work with the material if it were truly dangerous, and the free market would have eventually pushed engineered stone out, giving way to innovation for a better, safer material.
The trade union movement says ban engineered stone or we will
Media Release - October 24, 2023
https://www.actu.org.au/media-release/the-trade-union-moveme...
Re: Australia to ban engineered stone
#7I'm not a huge fan of government overreach like this. Workers should have refused to work with the material if it were truly dangerous, and the free market would have eventually pushed engineered stone out, giving way to innovation for a better, safer material.
a) It is truly dangerous. On par with asbestos.
b) At least here in Australia the government any by extension taxpayers will have an increased health care burden because of this. Therefore it is entirely justified to limit its use.
Re: Australia to ban engineered stone
#8I'm not a huge fan of government overreach like this. Workers should have refused to work with the material if it were truly dangerous, and the free market would have eventually pushed engineered stone out, giving way to innovation for a better, safer material.
"the free market would have eventually pushed engineered stone out"
Lol.
Re: Australia to ban engineered stone
#9I'm not a huge fan of government overreach like this. Workers should have refused to work with the material if it were truly dangerous, and the free market would have eventually pushed engineered stone out, giving way to innovation for a better, safer material.
That's incredibly uncompassionate.
And how is this government overreach? The government worked with the industry, and this saga has had years for engineered stone to be "pushed out". What if it took another 20 years and thousands of young people with lung cancer to reach that end? I don't see how that's worth it.
Re: Australia to ban engineered stone
#10I'm not a huge fan of government overreach like this. Workers should have refused to work with the material if it were truly dangerous, and the free market would have eventually pushed engineered stone out, giving way to innovation for a better, safer material.
You're saying a worker should just quit their job on the spot...? And pay for rent and food....how...?