It is well established that the wheels of government turn slowly but they appear to be stuck at a glacial pace on a policy reform which demands absolute urgency.

Nearly eight months have passed since the Herald exposed the true scale of the deadly silicosis crisis killing young tradies across Australia. The series revealed how the shiny kitchen benchtops that have become a feature of many Australian homes are being likened to the asbestos of the 21st century.

Engineered stone poses no risk to householders if left in place. To be safe in the workplace, it must be cut wet and stonemasons must wear full protective gear, something which doesn’t always occur.

The investigation exposed dodgy builders who are putting tradies’ lives at risk, the pathetic efforts by regulators to tackle the problem, and the stunning ignorance of the manufacturers of the engineered stone products.

Yet eight months on, state and federal governments are yet to settle on a plan for how to tackle this huge threat.

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Silicosis is a long-term lung disease caused by inhaling crystalline silica, a fine dust naturally occurring in many construction materials such as stones, rocks, sand, bricks and tiles. Silica is present in particularly large amounts – up to 95 per cent – in engineered stone, the material used to make artificial stone benchtops.

Silicosis is the oldest occupational lung disease in the world. Instead of the number of sufferers falling, it has risen over the past 20 years. This coincides with a government-led infrastructure boom which includes a record number of multibillion-dollar road and tunnel projects across NSW, Victoria and Queensland. Many of these projects bore into sandstone, which has high levels of silica. It also coincides with the introduction of Caesarstone, and later other competitors, into the Australian market.

Symptoms can include a cough, shortness of breath and tiredness. There may be no signs in the early stages but the more the disease spreads through the lungs, the more difficult it is to breathe.