The Workplace Relations and Safety Minister has revealed she will consult on engineered stone, a benchtop material that can lead to a lung disease in those working with the product.
Engineered stone, a mixture of resin and quartz, is frequently used to make benchtops because it is cheaper and more durable than marble and granite.
While it is much cheaper to buy, the material can be hazardous to manufacture as it contains 90% silica, which is a rate “considerably higher” than natural stone, according to WorkSafe.
High exposure to silica dust can cause accelerated silicosis, a deadly progressive lung disease.
In December last year, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told 1News the Government was “preparing advice” on the material after it was banned in Australia.
Today, van Velden revealed she had opened a “standalone consultation” on engineered stone to “understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks and whether further regulatory intervention is needed”.
The minister said that while WorkSafe had several education and enforcement activities on the material, she had become “concerned” after inspections found risk management practices remained “inconsistent”.
“I have recently completed a broader health and safety roadshow and consultation. One of the things I have heard is that workers and businesses want to keep themselves and others safe, but do not receive proper guidance on how to do so.
“I welcome feedback on what different stakeholders believe is driving inconsistent practice.”
Van Velden said she was consulting on the “full spectrum” of possible regulations, which could range from strengthening current requirements to introducing an outright ban.
“While I do not believe there is currently evidence to support a full ban of the product, I encourage submitters to provide their views, and the implications of that stance,” she said.
“I am committed to a health and safety system that makes it clear what businesses and workers need to do to keep safe. To achieve this, it is important that we use an evidence-based approach and consider a range of tools to tackle this issue in a New Zealand context.”
Numbers released to RNZ last year estimated that 60,000 engineered stone slabs are imported into New Zealand annually, with 132 businesses fabricating them into benchtops.
Symptoms of silicosis include a persistent cough, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. According to the American Lung Association, the disease can lead to patients developing tuberculosis, lung cancer, COPD and kidney disease.
Silicosis can often take years to develop after a worker is exposed to the dust.
