Tiling Safe Work Method Statement

Safe Work Australia mandates hierarchy of controls for crystalline silica dust with engineering controls as primary defence. Wet cutting using continuous water flow directly at cutting point is mandatory for all tile cutting operations, particularly for high-silica materials including porcelain, natural stone, and engineered stone. Water suppression alone is insufficient for materials exceeding 10% silica content, requiring combination with on-tool dust extraction using industrial HEPA-filtered vacuums capturing dust at source before becoming airborne. Angle grinders must be equipped with water-feed attachments or dust shrouds connected to extraction systems. Cutting should occur outdoors or in well-ventilated designated cutting areas isolated from other workers using barriers. Administrative controls include limiting cutting duration to reduce individual worker exposure, using pre-cut tiles where feasible eliminating site cutting, and maintaining equipment ensuring water flow and extraction systems function properly. Personal protective equipment provides final defence when engineering controls cannot eliminate exposure, requiring properly fitted P2 or P3 respirators that have been fit-tested to ensure effective sealing. Disposable dust masks are inadequate and do not meet legislative requirements. Air monitoring should be conducted initially and periodically to verify dust levels remain below workplace exposure standard of 0.05 mg/m³. Workers with regular silica exposure require health monitoring including respiratory questionnaires, lung function testing, and chest X-rays every two years for early detection of silicosis. Work areas must be cleaned using HEPA-filtered vacuums or wet methods, never dry swept as this re-suspends dangerous dust. Cutting any engineered stone products containing over 10% crystalline silica requires enhanced controls and licensing under some state regulations. Penalties for non-compliant silica work are severe including heavy fines and potential criminal prosecution due to life-threatening consequences of silicosis.

Preventing knee injuries requires comprehensive approach combining protective equipment, work practices, and early intervention. Use professional-grade knee pads specifically designed for tiling work featuring gel or high-density foam cushioning, rigid side protection for lateral kneeling, and adjustable straps preventing slipping during work. Knee pads must be properly fitted as incorrectly adjusted pads provide inadequate protection and may increase injury risk. Supplement knee pads with high-density foam kneeling boards or mats placed on hard concrete or tiled floors providing additional cushioning. However, even optimal protection cannot eliminate knee damage from continuous kneeling for 6-8 hours daily. Implement mandatory position change breaks every 20-30 minutes requiring workers to stand, walk, and perform stretching exercises targeting knees, hips, and lower back. Use long-handled tools including extension trowels for portions of adhesive spreading and cleaning allowing some work from standing positions reducing total kneeling time. Rotate workers between floor tiling (predominantly kneeling) and wall tiling or material preparation (predominantly standing) to vary physical demands throughout shifts. Plan work scheduling to divide large floor areas into sections completed over multiple sessions with rest periods between rather than attempting continuous installation over many hours. Maintain good general fitness, core strength, and leg muscle strength through regular exercise, as this protects against injury and enables better kneeling tolerance. Seek early physiotherapy intervention if pain or discomfort develops, before acute injuries become chronic conditions. Morning stiffness, pain during or after work, and swelling are warning signs requiring medical assessment not to be ignored. Some tilers benefit from using foam roller exercises and stretching routines specifically targeting knees and surrounding structures. Consider alternating between different types of tiling work including wall tiling, benchtops, and other installations that vary physical demands preventing sustained loading patterns. Workers developing chronic knee conditions despite preventive measures may require workplace modifications, alternative work duties, or in severe cases career transition to less physically demanding roles.

Respiratory protection selection depends on silica dust concentrations after engineering controls are implemented. When wet cutting with adequate water suppression and on-tool dust extraction effectively controls dust making it barely visible, respiratory protection may not be required for occasional cutting of standard ceramic tiles outdoors. However, any cutting in confined spaces, cutting of high-silica materials including porcelain and natural stone, or cutting where engineering controls cannot adequately suppress visible dust requires P2 particulate respirators certified to AS/NZS 1716. P2 respirators must filter minimum 94% of particles 0.3 microns diameter. Disposable P2 respirators are adequate for intermittent use but must be properly fitted and sealed against face with fit-testing to verify effectiveness. Half-face reusable respirators with replaceable P2 filters provide superior protection, comfort for extended use, and cost-effectiveness for regular users. Any cutting of engineered stone products containing over 10% crystalline silica requires minimum P2 respiratory protection and potentially P3 respirators providing 99.95% filtration for highest exposures. Critical considerations for effective respiratory protection include proper fit-testing using quantitative or qualitative protocols to verify respirator seals effectively against individual user's face shape, as poorly fitted respirators allow contaminated air to bypass filters rendering protection useless. Facial hair including beards and stubble prevents effective seal requiring clean-shaven policy for respirator users. Respirators must be donned correctly following manufacturer instructions, with seal checks performed each time respirator is worn. Filters must be replaced according to manufacturer recommendations or when breathing resistance increases indicating filter loading. Training must cover donning, fit-checking, wearing duration limits, doffing without self-contamination, cleaning and storage of reusable respirators, and limitation recognition understanding when respirator protection is inadequate requiring enhanced engineering controls. Relying solely on respiratory protection without implementing engineering controls violates hierarchy of control requirements and is non-compliant with WHS legislation. Respiratory protection is final defence supplementing not replacing dust suppression through wet methods and extraction. Medical assessment should be completed before respirator use to verify workers do not have respiratory or cardiac conditions that would make respirator use hazardous.

Work at heights regulations require comprehensive controls when wall tiling above 2 metres height. Use manufactured scaffolding or mobile scaffold platforms complying with AS/NZS 1576 rather than makeshift arrangements including stacked materials or inadequate trestles. Platforms must provide minimum 600mm working width allowing room for workers, materials, and tools without creating congestion or requiring workers to work near unprotected edges. Install edge protection on all platform edges consisting of toeboards minimum 150mm height preventing tools and materials falling from platforms, mid-rails at 450-600mm height, and top rails at 900mm-1100mm height creating physical barrier preventing falls. Platforms must be level and stable with locking castors on mobile scaffolds preventing inadvertent movement during use. Access platforms using integrated ladders with three points of contact maintained during climbing, not carrying materials whilst climbing. Use mechanical lifting including rope and pulley systems or material hoists for moving tile boxes and adhesive buckets to platform height rather than carrying whilst climbing ladders. Ensure platform construction is competent with components properly erected and inspected before use. For work above 4 metres height, competent person erection and formal inspection documentation may be required. Platform surfaces must be kept clean and free from tile offcuts, tools, and adhesive spills creating trip hazards in confined working space. Coordinate with other trades ensuring platforms are not overloaded with multiple workers and materials exceeding safe working load limits. In windy conditions, consider suspending wall tiling work at heights as wind loading affects platform stability and increases fall risk. Workers conducting height work should receive height safety training covering platform use, edge protection requirements, emergency procedures, and rescue planning. For work above 4 metres on complex scaffolding, harness and lanyard systems attached to suitable anchorage points may be required providing fall arrest if falls occur despite edge protection. Never work alone at heights, ensure other workers are present who can summon assistance if injuries occur. Maintain first aid equipment and ensure someone on site holds current first aid certification. Develop rescue procedures for workers injured at heights, as delays in accessing and evacuating injured workers can substantially worsen injury outcomes.

Prevention through comprehensive PPE and work practices is essential as cement-based tile adhesives with pH 12-13 cause progressive chemical burns. Wear chemical-resistant nitrile gloves minimum 0.4mm thickness throughout all adhesive mixing, application, and cleanup operations, ensuring gloves extend over cuffs preventing adhesive running inside gloves. Replace gloves immediately if torn, punctured, or saturated with adhesive as compromised gloves provide no protection and create false sense of security. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long work trousers preventing skin contact particularly when kneeling in spilled adhesive or during extensive floor tiling. Apply barrier creams to exposed skin before commencing work, providing additional chemical resistance on areas where gloves cannot be practically worn. Wash hands and exposed skin promptly after any adhesive contact using pH-neutral soap and clean water, removing all residues before alkalinity can cause burns. Never use solvents or harsh soaps for adhesive removal as these compound skin damage. Establish handwashing facilities with clean water readily accessible at work areas, requiring washing before breaks and at end of shifts. Despite prevention, chemical contact sometimes occurs requiring proper first aid. Immediately flush contacted skin with copious clean water for minimum 15 minutes, removing contaminated clothing and jewellery whilst continuing washing. Do not attempt to neutralise alkaline burns with acidic substances as this creates additional chemical reactions causing further damage. After thorough washing, assess burn severity - minor redness and irritation may be managed with continued monitoring whilst more significant burns showing blistering, persistent pain, or extensive redness require medical assessment. For adhesive splashed into eyes, immediately irrigate with clean water or saline for minimum 15 minutes whilst holding eyelids open ensuring thorough washing of all ocular surfaces, then seek urgent medical assessment by emergency department or ophthalmologist as alkaline eye burns can cause permanent vision damage if not promptly treated. Document all chemical contact incidents in workplace injury register even if minor, as patterns of exposure may indicate inadequate controls requiring enhancement. Workers developing chronic dermatitis despite protective measures should undergo medical assessment potentially identifying allergic chromium sensitisation requiring enhanced protection or in severe cases removal from cement work and career transition. Implementing skin surveillance programs where supervisors regularly inspect worker hand and arm skin condition enables early detection of developing dermatitis before progression to serious chronic conditions affecting work performance and quality of life.

Multiple conditions warrant delaying tile installation to prevent failures and ensure quality outcomes. Substrate moisture content exceeding manufacturer maximum specifications (typically 75% relative humidity for concrete substrates) requires delay pending adequate drying, as tiling wet substrates traps moisture causing efflorescence where salts migrate through tiles creating white deposits, adhesive bond failure as moisture prevents proper adhesive curing, and potential mould growth in damp conditions. Conduct moisture testing using calibrated meters, not visual inspection or touch which are unreliable. Cold temperatures below 10°C slow adhesive curing and may prevent proper bond development, requiring heating of work spaces or delay until temperatures reach acceptable range. Very high temperatures above 30°C cause rapid adhesive skinning reducing working time and potentially causing adhesion failures, requiring work scheduling in cooler periods or use of rapid-set adhesives formulated for hot conditions. High humidity above 85% particularly combined with cool temperatures extends adhesive curing times substantially potentially delaying project schedules, requiring dehumidification or alternative scheduling. Substrate structural issues including cracks, movement, deflection exceeding tolerances, or contamination with oils, curing compounds, or weak surface layers require remediation before tiling commences. Waterproofing in wet areas must be complete, properly cured, tested, and certified before tiling proceeds, as tiling incomplete waterproofing systems prevents proper testing and inspection creating liability issues if subsequent waterproofing failures occur. Inadequate substrate preparation including rough surface texture, uncorrected level variations, or cleaning deficiencies requires completion before adhesive application. Coordinate with other trades ensuring building is weatherproof with windows and doors installed preventing rain ingress, HVAC systems operational maintaining appropriate temperature and humidity, and wet trades including concrete, screeding, and plastering adequately completed and cured. Time pressure to meet construction schedules often creates pressure to commence tiling in marginal conditions, but failures resulting from inadequate substrate preparation or environmental conditions cause far greater delays and costs through complete removal and replacement of failed installations. Document substrate testing results, environmental conditions, and any decisions to delay work due to unsuitable conditions demonstrating proper procedures and protecting against liability claims from failures beyond tiler's control. Some conditions including minor cold or humidity variations can be managed through product selection using rapid-set or modified adhesives formulated for challenging conditions, but extreme conditions require delay regardless of product selection.