Silica, Lead or Asbestos Assessment

Name: Safework Health
Address: Export Park, Unit 6/2 Graham St, Adelaide, SA, 5950, Australia
Telephone: 1300 795 227
Rating: 3.6

Asbestos testing, silica monitoring, and lead health surveillance are legal obligations for employers whose workers face exposure to these hazards. Under the Work Health and Safety Regulations, PCBUs must arrange and fund health monitoring conducted by a registered medical practitioner.

Safework Health delivers all three assessments across Australia, both on-site and in-clinic.

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What Is Health Monitoring and How It Works

Health monitoring is a structured medical assessment that picks up early signs of harm from workplace exposure before serious disease develops. Under WHS Regulations, employers (PCBUs) are required to arrange health monitoring for workers exposed to specific hazardous substances, including respirable crystalline silica (RCS), lead, and asbestos, where there is a significant risk to health. The PCBU bears all costs. Workers cannot be asked to fund or arrange their own monitoring. All assessments must be conducted by a registered medical practitioner with experience in occupational health monitoring. Results are provided to the worker, the employer, and, where needed, the relevant WHS regulator.

Three Hazards. Three Distinct Monitoring Pathways.

Silica, lead, and asbestos each carry different health risks and require different assessment components. What they share is a legal framework under WHS Regulations that requires employers to assess, document, and respond to findings.

Silica Health Monitoring

Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is released when materials containing crystalline silica, concrete, sandstone, and engineered stone, are cut, drilled, ground, or crushed.

The fine particles travel deep into the lung and can cause silicosis: a progressive, incurable disease that can be fatal. There is no cure and no safe level of exposure above the regulatory limit.

Following Safe Work Australia guidance, silica health monitoring includes:

Respiratory questionnaire – Captures symptoms, smoking history, and occupational exposure history relevant to silica dust
Spirometry – A lung function test that measures airflow and lung capacity, identifying early signs of respiratory impairment
Chest imaging – When clinically indicated, chest X-rays are classified using the ILO (International Labour Organization) system, which provides a standardised grading of dust-related changes in lung tissue

3High-risk industries include construction, tunnelling, mining, quarrying, and engineered stone fabrication. Workers who processed engineered stone bench tops before Australia’s ban took effect in July 2024 remain a priority population for ongoing silica health monitoring.

Lead Health Monitoring

Lead-risk work, as defined under WHS Regulations, covers tasks where workers are exposed to lead compounds above specified limits, typically in battery manufacturing, lead smelting, demolition, metal recycling, and work on buildings with legacy lead-based paint.

Lead health monitoring centres on blood lead level (BLL) testing:

Blood Lead Level (BLL) testing: A blood sample measures the concentration of lead in the bloodstream and determines the appropriate monitoring frequency going forward
Action and removal levels: WHS Regulations set specific BLL thresholds that require a mandatory response. When a worker’s BLL reaches the action level (1.45 µmol/L for most workers), monitoring frequency increases. At the removal level (1.93 µmol/L), the worker must be removed from lead-risk work until BLL falls. Lower thresholds apply for women of reproductive age.
Monitoring frequency: Determined by BLL results and initial exposure assessment. The registered medical practitioner advises on the appropriate interval between tests.

Asbestos Testing and Health Monitoring

Asbestos testing and health monitoring applies to workers engaged in licensed asbestos removal work and asbestos-related work where exposure to airborne asbestos fibres has occurred or is likely.

There is no safe level of asbestos exposure, all fibre types carry a risk of mesothelioma, asbestosis, and asbestos-related lung cancer.

Safework Health’s asbestos assessment includes:

Respiratory questionnaire: Documents exposure history, current symptoms, smoking status, and any prior asbestos health monitoring records
Spirometry: Lung function testing to identify changes in respiratory capacity consistent with asbestos-related disease
Record-keeping: All findings are documented in a health monitoring report, retained in line with WHS Regulations requirements

Asbestos testing services in Australia are required for Class A and Class B licensed removalists, licensed asbestos removal supervisors, and workers in asbestos-related roles with a reasonable likelihood of fibre exposure.

Trust Safework Health

Ready to set up asbestos health monitoring or a broader hazardous substance programme? Our team can identify which workers require monitoring, scope your WHS obligations, and schedule assessments to minimise operational disruption. Call 1300 795 227 or contact us online.

Records, Retention Obligations, and What Employers Receive

Following each assessment, Safework Health provides:

A health monitoring report prepared or reviewed by the supervising registered medical practitioner
Individual results for each worker, documented in a format suitable for WHS compliance records
Recommendations for follow-up or increased monitoring frequency where clinically indicated
Records suitable for presentation to a WHS regulator on request

Under WHS Regulations, health monitoring records must be retained for 30 years. Workers have the right to access their own records at any time, and employers must provide those records to the worker when their employment ends. Employers who fail to maintain adequate records face regulatory exposure in addition to the underlying health risk.

On-Site and In-Clinic Assessments

Safework Health delivers silica, lead, and asbestos testing services through two delivery models.

On-site assessments

Our qualified practitioners travel to your workplace, keeping disruption to operations to a minimum. On-site delivery suits larger groups, remote and regional worksites, and industries where releasing workers off-site is not practical, including mining, construction, and licensed asbestos removal.

In-clinic assessments

Available at Safework Health clinic locations nationally. Clinic appointments suit smaller groups, individual workers, and pre-employment health monitoring before someone begins a role involving exposure to silica, lead, or asbestos.

Contact our team to discuss scheduling, group bookings, and regional service availability.

Setting Up an Ongoing Monitoring Programme

Health monitoring is a continuing obligation for as long as workers remain exposed to these hazards. Safework Health can help you build a structured programme that covers:

Baseline assessments for all workers currently in scope
A monitoring schedule aligned with WHS Regulations requirements and clinical recommendations
Centralised record management and documentation for audit and regulatory purposes
Reporting that gives you a clear, ongoing picture of your workforce’s health status

Whether you’re establishing asbestos assessment procedures for the first time or reviewing an existing programme, our team can advise on scope, timing, and delivery.

Safework Health: Trusted Occupational Health Expertise

Since 2012, Safework Health has delivered fast, quality occupational health services to Australian workplaces. With over 200 staff, a national presence, and a commitment to compliance and worker safety, we support employers across industries including mining, construction, healthcare, manufacturing, and more. Our asbestos testing services, silica monitoring, and lead health surveillance work alongside our broader occupational health capability, including audiometric testing, mask fit testing, and ear fit testing, to give you a complete, auditable record of your workforce’s health. Enquire today about silica, lead, or asbestos testing for your team. Call 1300 795 227 or contact us online.