Australian ban on engineered stone and handling of existing benchtops to be considered later this year

Employment minister Tony Burke says a Safe Work Australia report has come back with a ‘very strong recommendation in favour of a ban’ on engineered stone benches. Photograph: photovs/Getty Images/iStockphoto

The Australian workplace safety watchdog has recommended a national ban on engineered stone and a special licensing scheme for the handling of existing benchtops, finding no level of cancer-causing silica is “safe” for tradies.

The report by Safe Work Australia was released after state and federal workplace safety ministers met on Friday to discuss the future of the material.