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Posted: 2023-02-28 05:42:58

Federal Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke says he and his state and territory counterparts have asked Safe Work Australia to consider what a future ban on engineered stone would look like and that the group will make a decision on prohibiting it at a later stage.

The group of workplace health and safety ministers met on Tuesday to discuss whether to ban the stone because of the risk to people who work with it of developing silicosis.

Silicosis is an incurable lung disease caused by breathing in tiny particles of silica, or crystalline silica, which is a particular risk for workers to cut or file engineered stone.

Engineered stone is a popular material used for benchtops in kitchens and bathrooms and can contain high levels of silica.

Mr Burke said ministers unanimously agreed to begin the steps toward implementing a national ban but admitted the process to change workplace health and safety laws "doesn't move quickly".

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