Danger Dust

Around 10% of underground tunnel workers in Queensland could develop silicosis, our new study has found.

Silicosis is a serious, incurable lung disease caused by inhaling small particles of silica dust. You might have heard about it in people who work with engineered stone. But silica is more widespread.

How does silicosis affect tunnel workers?

Thousands of people are involved in tunneling projects in Australia.

Tunneling involves breaking up large amounts of silica-containing rock with heavy machinery.

Tunnel workers rely on advanced ventilation systems to provide fresh air underground, water systems to keep the rocks wet and suppress dust, and they wear respirators on their face to keep the air they breathe clean. But some people have raised concerns these measures do not always work properly.

There are also national legal limits in place for silica dust exposure, currently 0.05 milligrams per cubic meter over an eight-hour work day.

However, a media investigation last November revealed one-third of air monitoring tests from a Sydney tunnel project were above legal limits.

While air monitoring tests are required by law, the results of routine air monitoring tests are often not made public.