Thirteen workers on tunnelling projects in Sydney diagnosed with deadly silicosis

Thirteen workers, including a 32-year-old, employed on tunnelling projects in Sydney have been diagnosed with silicosis.

The workers' union says there have not been any prosecutions due to breaches of silica dust exposure.

WorkSafe NSW carried out 90 inspections on tunnelling sites between January and September 2024, and says the cases are still under investigation.

A 32-year-old is among 13 workers on a troubled Sydney tunnelling project who have been diagnosed with silicosis, triggering an investigation by the state's workplace regulator.

Documents submitted to NSW parliament show the government was notified of one case in 2023, involving a worker on stage one of the M6 tunnelling project between Arncliffe and Kogarah.

After SafeWork NSW started investigating, it discovered the contractor, had failed to notify it of another 12 workers who had been diagnosed with silicosis.

Silicosis is contracted by inhaling fine silica dust, causing long-term lung damage which can be fatal.

Chris Donovan, national assistant secretary of the Australian Workers Union, said the numbers were "shocking".

"It must mean that these workers have been exposed to a very high level of silica dust," Mr Donovan said.

He said the case of the 32-year-old worker was especially troubling.

"[It's] an extremely young age to contract silicosis."

Mr Donovan said tunnel workers often moved between different projects and companies, so it was difficult to say whether they were all exposed to silica while working on the M6.

"It could be the case that they were exposed in different tunnelling projects. But … that just goes to the problem that's in the industry.

"The industry is not taking adequate measures to protect workers from silica dust exposure."

Mr Donovan said SafeWork NSW had failed to properly police the issue.

"There has not been a single prosecution of a tunnelling company due to breaches of silica dust exposure."

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SafeWork doubles inspections

The head of SafeWork NSW, Trent Curtin, said the regulator was still investigating the silicosis cases involving CPB workers, but said any contractors who exposed employees to unsafe levels of silica were breaking the law.

"I'm concerned that in the past, a number of projects have unnecessarily exposed their workers to silica dust," Mr Curtin said.

He said SafeWork had been notified of 66 cases in which silica levels breached safety guidelines since September 2024, but was unable to say whether any of the cases involved CPB.

Ninety SafeWork inspections were carried out on tunnelling sites in Sydney between January and September last year, more than double the number recorded in 2023.

However, Mr Donovan said contractors were often given prior notice of an inspection.

"[It's like] a police officer tipping off that they're going to conduct a raid. It's just not good enough," he said.

Mr Curtin said that while inspectors sometimes showed up unannounced, they often needed the contractor's cooperation to access the tunnels.

"Unfortunately, given the nature of the projects, it can be difficult to access areas as a surprise visit," he said.

SafeWork inspectors also visited the M6 project last year, after parts of the tunnel collapsed, producing two massive sinkholes.

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Sources:

Thirteen workers on tunnelling projects in Sydney diagnosed with deadly silicosis - ABC, March 16th 2025

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