Under the Model Work Health and Safety Regulations (22 May 2023), employers or duty of care holders must assess and evaluate RCS (Respirable Crystalline Silica) exposure levels in their respective workplaces to determine the associated hazards and risks, and what could be the result of these.
In helping to make this obligation efficient and effective, Greencap Australia provides a thorough five-step process:
1. Workplace information gathering
2. Basic workplace characterisation:
Workers are categorised into groups according to occupation/work tasks/activities which will relate to their potential level of exposure to RCS
3. Exposure assessment and Risk Profiling
4. Hazard control and risk mitigation
5. Reassessments
In managing risks, it is imperative to implement the Hierarchy of Controls (to the right) that are listed in order of the most to least effective.
In almost all situations, a combination of these controls is needed to best protect workers. In adhering to any of the above, the primary motivation is the knowledge that exposure to RCS can kill, but it is preventable.
