Pinnacle Safety and Training Blog

Pinnacle introduces new Silica Awareness course

Pinnacle Safety and Training is proud to announce the introduction of a new course, designed to help protect workers from the health risks associated with occupational silica exposure.

The online course, which will be available later this month has been designed to raise students’ awareness of silica-related health risks and will provide some guidance on how to minimise these risks in the workplace.

Paul Botwright, CEO of Pinnacle Safety and Training said the development of this new course is an example of Pinnacle’s ongoing commitment to worker safety and addresses a serious workplace hazard that many employers aren’t even aware of.

“Several sources are calling silica the new asbestos,” Paul said. “It’s not an incorrect analogy, with the Cancer Council estimating that 230 people will develop lung cancer each year as a result of past exposure to silica dust at work.”

“Silica is far more widespread than most people realise. It is the second most abundant mineral on Earth and is found in construction materials such as concrete, bricks, tiles, sandstone and granite.”

“When these materials are worked on (drilled, cut, crushed and so on), silica is released as a fine dust known as respirable crystalline silica or silica dust.”

“Silica dust is harmful when inhaled into your lungs and can lead to several conditions from chronic bronchitis to silicosis or lung cancer.”

“Respirable silica dust particles are 100 times smaller than a grain of sand, so you can breathe them in without even knowing it,” Paul said.

“The good news is that silica related illnesses are preventable and Pinnacle’s Silica Awareness course is just one measure workers can take to help minimise the risks.”

“If you, or your employees work with silica-based products, this course is for you.”

“There are no prerequisites and the course can be completed online in your own time. Furthermore, it should only take around 45 minutes to complete,” Paul said.

If you’d like to receive an email notification when Pinnacle’s Silica Awareness training is launched, please contact us at news@pinnaclesafety.com.au