The primary legislative instrument that implements the nationwide ban on the use, supply, and manufacture of engineered stone benchtops, panels, and slabs.
Official guidance for Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs), covering transitional arrangements, notification requirements, and compliance obligations.
Amends the Customs Prohibited Imports Regulations to ban the importation of engineered stone products into Australia, effective from 1 July 2024.
Practical guidance on managing health and safety risks associated with engineered stone, including exposure standards, risk controls, and health monitoring requirements.
While the ban is federal, each state and territory enforces it through its own WHS legislation. Here’s the current picture across Australia’s six states:
SafeWork NSW is the primary regulator. NSW amended the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 to incorporate the engineered stone ban. On-the-spot fines and compliance notices are being actively issued.
Penalty: Up to AUD 600,000 for bodies corporate; Category 1 offences may attract higher penalties.
WorkSafe Victoria enforces the ban under Victoria’s Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and associated regulations. Victoria has been proactive in compliance blitzes targeting stone benchtop fabricators.
Penalty: Up to AUD 467,000 for bodies corporate under the OHS Act.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland oversees enforcement. Queensland was the first state to flag a ban on engineered stone and has been a leader in silicosis screening programs for stonemasons.
Penalty: Up to AUD 600,000 for corporations; Category 1: up to AUD 3 million.
WorkSafe WA enforces the ban under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020. WA adopted the model WHS laws and the engineered stone ban through state-specific regulations.
Penalty: Up to AUD 570,000 for bodies corporate.
SafeWork SA is responsible for compliance. South Australia has adopted the model WHS regulations and is conducting targeted audits of stone benchtop businesses.
Penalty: Up to AUD 500,000 for bodies corporate.
WorkSafe Tasmania enforces the ban. Tasmania’s smaller market means fewer fabrication facilities, but regulators have confirmed full alignment with the national framework.
Penalty: Up to AUD 500,000 for bodies corporate.
To qualify as “non-engineered stone” and avoid the ban, products must contain less than 1% crystalline silica. Importers should commission independent laboratory testing (XRD analysis) from accredited labs such as SGS, ALS, or Bureau Veritas before shipment.
Testing certificates must be retained for at least 5 years and be available for inspection by WHS regulators. Each batch or product line should be verified — a single certificate for an entire product range is generally not accepted.
The Australian Border Force (ABF) now enforces the prohibition on importing engineered stone at the border. Importers must provide evidence of silica content (<1%) as part of their customs clearance documentation.
Key documents required: supplier declaration of material composition, independent lab test reports, product technical data sheets (TDS), and material safety data sheets (MSDS/SDS). Incomplete documentation may result in cargo being held at the border or returned at the importer’s expense.
Products such as zero-silica sintered stone, porcelain slabs, and natural stone remain legally importable. However, importers should verify that products marketed as “low silica” genuinely fall below the 1% threshold.
Recommended steps: (1) Commission pre-shipment testing, (2) maintain a compliance dossier per product SKU, (3) work with Australian customs brokers familiar with the prohibition, and (4) consider sourcing from manufacturers who provide third-party certified silica-free product lines specifically for the Australian market.
The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union leads a national campaign urging a complete prohibition on engineered stone imports and use, citing rising silicosis cases among stonemasons.
Safe Work Australia publishes its Decision Regulation Impact Statement (RIS), recommending a complete ban on the use of all engineered stone containing crystalline silica, citing the disproportionate burden on workers.
Federal, state, and territory WHS ministers reach a unanimous decision at the national meeting to implement a ban on engineered stone from 1 July 2024, making Australia the first country in the world to do so.
The engineered stone ban becomes effective across all Australian jurisdictions. Import, manufacture, supply, and installation of engineered stone products are prohibited. Transitional arrangements for existing contracts and legacy products are in place.
State regulators begin active compliance campaigns, conducting site inspections, issuing improvement notices, and prosecuting non-compliance. The Australian Border Force increases scrutiny on imports of stone-like materials.
Safe Work Australia is expected to review the ban’s effectiveness and consider whether the prohibition should extend to other silica-containing products, including porcelain and ceramic products that may contain respirable crystalline silica during fabrication.
Our B2B sourcing team helps importers verify compliance before shipment. From lab testing coordination to customs documentation, we ensure your product pipeline stays uninterrupted.