OH Consultant

Self-paced course · CIH-authored

Silica Awareness

Recognising, controlling and working safely around respirable crystalline silica on Australian worksites. A 60-minute, self-paced, non-accredited awareness course with a Certificate of Completion.

1
hour
7
modules
7
lessons
12
month validity
Learning outcomes

What you'll be able to do

Six outcomes, each measurable against the final assessment.

01
Recognise silica — identify the materials that contain crystalline silica and explain why respirable dust is the hazard
02
Understand the harm — describe silicosis and the other diseases caused by respirable crystalline silica and why symptoms arrive too late
03
Spot the high-risk tasks — identify the cutting, grinding, breaking and clean-up activities that generate the most dust
04
Apply the right controls — use the hierarchy of control to choose water suppression, extraction, ventilation and isolation before RPE
05
Use RPE correctly — select, fit check, wear and maintain respiratory protection for silica work
06
Know your duties — describe the exposure standard, air and health monitoring, risk control plans and when to stop work
Audience

Who this is for

Tradespeople, labourers, supervisors and site managers who cut, grind, drill, chase, polish or break concrete, brick, tile, stone, mortar or other silica-containing products on Australian worksites. No prerequisites. Several jurisdictions require accredited silica training for certain construction work
this course does not replace it.
Curriculum

What's inside

7 modules of CIH-authored content, sequenced so each module builds on the last.

  1. 01
    What silica is
    1 lesson
  2. 02
    What it does to you
    1 lesson
  3. 03
    High-risk tasks
    1 lesson
  4. 04
    Controls that work
    1 lesson
  5. 05
    Respiratory protection
    1 lesson
  6. 06
    Duties and monitoring
    1 lesson
  7. 07
    Knowledge check
    1 lesson
On completion

Your certificate

Pass the final assessment and your certificate is issued automatically. It records the course title and version, the completion date, your assessment result, and a verifiable certificate ID.

Pass mark
80% on the final assessment
Award
Audit-ready certificate of completion
Verifiable
Unique cert ID — auditor-readable
Validity
12 months from completion
Aligned with

Standards & credibility

This course is aligned with the standards below. CPD hours are claimable; accreditation by an external body remains separate.

Model Work Health and Safety Regulations — Part 4.1 Hazardous chemicals (Safe Work Australia)
Model Work Health and Safety Regulations — Part 6.3 and the Division on crystalline silica, including the engineered stone prohibition
Safe Work Australia — Managing the risks of respirable crystalline silica from engineered stone (Code of Practice)
Safe Work Australia — Working with silica and silica containing products (guidance)
Workplace exposure standard for respirable crystalline silica — 0.05 mg/m³, 8-hour TWA (changes scheduled from December 2026)
AS/NZS 1715 Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment
AS/NZS 1716 Respiratory protective devices
Authored and reviewed by a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH).
Why people take this course

Someone asked you for it.

Several states require accredited silica training for certain construction work. This course is non-accredited awareness training — check what your jurisdiction and your head contractor require before you enrol.

01
Site or subcontractor pack
Head contractors increasingly require silica awareness before you are approved to work on concrete, masonry or stone.
02
Silica-generating work
Cutting, grinding, drilling, polishing or breaking concrete, brick, pavers, tile or stone.
03
Your PCBU duty
If your workers are exposed to respirable crystalline silica, you must provide information, training and supervision.
04
Client or insurer
A commercial client or insurer wants documented evidence your crew was trained before work starts.
Why it matters

The dust you can see is not the dust that hurts you.

100×
Respirable silica particles are roughly a hundred times finer than a grain of beach sand.
2024
Australia prohibited the manufacture, supply and installation of engineered stone — the first ban of its kind in the world.
Years
Accelerated silicosis can develop after only a few years of heavy exposure, not decades.
Who it's for

Built for the trades who actually run into it.

Concreters
Tilers
Stonemasons
Bricklayers
Demolition & strip-out
Civil & roadworks
Carpenters
Plumbers
Kitchen & bathroom fitters
Landscapers
Renderers
Builders & site supervisors
What you get

More than a video and a tick box.

Certificate of completion
Issued the moment you pass, with a unique verification number anyone can check online.
Task control card
A one-page reference matching common tasks to the controls they need. Print it or keep it on your phone.
RPE selection guide
Which respirator for which job, and how to check the seal before you start.
Six months of access
Come back to any module whenever you need it, for six months from the day you buy.
How the assessment works

You have to actually pass it.

Ten scenario questions drawn from all six modules. Not definitions — decisions, like the ones you make on site.

80%
Pass mark. Eight correct out of ten.
3
Attempts. Fail all three and the course resets, so you work through the modules again before retesting.
6 mo
Access from purchase. Resetting does not cost you anything extra.
Before you enrol

What this course is — and is not

This course is
  • ✓General awareness training on respirable crystalline silica
  • ✓Evidence that you have been informed, which many builders accept in a subcontractor pack
  • ✓Written and reviewed by certified occupational hygiene professionals
  • ✓Aligned to the model WHS Regulations, with state variations noted
This course is not
  • ✕Nationally accredited training or a Statement of Attainment
  • ✕The accredited 10830NAT, CPCSIL3001 or CPCSIL4001 courses required in some jurisdictions
  • ✕A substitute for air monitoring or health monitoring where those are triggered
  • ✕A silica risk control plan for your business
FAQ

Common questions

Is this the accredited silica course?

No. This is non-accredited awareness training and you receive a Certificate of Completion. Several jurisdictions require nationally accredited silica training — 10830NAT, CPCSIL3001 or CPCSIL4001 — for certain construction work. Check what your state and your head contractor require before you enrol.

Will my builder accept it?

Many do, as evidence of general awareness in a subcontractor pack. Some sites specify accredited training instead. If you are buying for a specific job, ask the head contractor which they require.

Does this cover engineered stone?

It covers the prohibition and why it happened, as context. Work with engineered stone is heavily restricted in Australia and is not something an awareness course qualifies you to do.

How long does it take?

About 60 minutes across six modules, plus the knowledge check. Your progress saves, so you can stop and resume.

What if I fail the knowledge check?

You get three attempts, with module-specific review between them. If you do not pass on the third, the course resets and you work through the modules again before retesting — at no extra cost. Your six-month access period is unchanged.

Can I buy for my crew?

Yes. Team seats start at ten and come with enrolment codes, a completion dashboard and an exportable register for audits. We accept purchase orders and invoicing — email info@ohconsultant.com.au.

Build the set

Most people don't stop at one.

Ready when you are

Start the course

Self-paced. Re-takeable. Pass the assessment and your certificate is unlocked.