Silica Worker Register
NSW employer obligations to register your workers
As an employer in NSW, you are now legally required to register any relevant worker undertaking high-risk crystalline silica processing work under the Silica Worker Register, in accordance with NSW WHS legislation.
This digital register has been introduced by SafeWork NSW to help identify workers who may require ongoing health monitoring, ensuring early detection of silica-related health conditions and promoting safer workplaces.
Who Needs to Be Registered?
All workers engaged in high-risk silica processing on or after 1 October 2025 must be registered. Workers who ceased high-risk processing before 1 October 2025 do not need to be registered.
If a worker changes employers, the new employer must register them. Only one registration is required per employer, even if the worker changes job sites.
Registration Timelines
Workers must be registered within 28 days of starting high-risk silica processing work. Registration is a one-time notification per employer and does not need to be repeated unless:
✔️The worker changes employer
✔️The worker commences a new period of high-risk work under a different PCBU
Why this matters
Crystalline silica is a hazardous substance that can cause silicosis, lung cancer, and other serious illnesses. The Silica Worker Register supports compliance with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and the WHS Regulation 2017 (NSW). Health monitoring is a vital safeguard in reducing long-term exposure risks.
To help you meet your obligations under NSW WHS Law ACFA has available to members a number of resources to assist in identifying and managing risks associated with crystalline silica, support compliance with your legal obligations, and promote safer, healthier workplace practices across the cabinet and furniture making industry. These resources include:
✔️Working with engineered stone inspection checklist
✔️Silica Risk Control Plan
✔️Work producing silica dust that is high risk fact sheet
✔️Assessing if the processing of silica is high risk template
✔️Managing the risk of respirable crystalline silica from engineered stone in the workplace fact sheet
✔️Plus other crystalline silica resources
Other states & territories
Each state and territory has its own legislation and regulation system. Currently, requirements vary across each jurisdiction.
Queensland: Queensland operates a National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry; however, this is a clinician-led system where a physician registers a diagnosed respiratory disease in a patient. This differs from the NSW model, where employers are required to register workers who are undertaking work involving silica exposure.
Victoria: Victoria does not have a specific register for silica workers. Instead, it has implemented other comprehensive regulatory controls, including the prohibition of engineered stone and mandatory health monitoring for workers undertaking high-risk crystalline silica work under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.
Other states and territories: Other jurisdictions, including the ACT, WA, SA, TAS and the NT, generally operate under the model WHS laws. These require health monitoring for workers engaged in high-risk silica-related tasks, but there is no indication of a standalone, dedicated silica worker register comparable to the NSW system.
