Compliance Guide for Hybrid Flooring products containing Silica

With much concern raised regarding silica content in concrete products and more recently in manufactured stone composite bench tops…

Compliance Guide for Hybrid Flooring products containing Silica

With much concern raised regarding silica content in concrete products and more recently in manufactured stone composite bench tops – that have resulted in serious illness and death, the
microscope has been turned on all things that may contain silica.

Within the timber flooring industry, hybrid flooring products (a timber look alike product) have been identified as products that may contain small traces of crystalline silica. These products include (but are not limited to):

  • LVT – Luxury vinyl tile
  • WPC – wood plastic composite flooring
  • SPC – solid polymer core flooring
  • Rigid plank or core

These and other plastic or vinyl based products already on the market and others set to join it, are generally formulated with plasticizers, stabilisers and more, that often contain small elements of limestone, and this is where crystalline silica may naturally occur.

Whereas wet cutting concrete and kitchen bench tops together with wearing Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) is working to reduce and hopefully prevent further cases of silicosis, the issue with hybrid flooring products is that they are unlikely to be wet cut, raising the concern over creating dust that may contain crystalline silica particles. As such, it is essential that approved RPE is worn when cutting, penetrating or grinding these products.

Crystalline silica is found naturally in stone, rock, sand, gravel and clay. As mentioned above, it may become part of hybrid flooring products via the use of limestone. When these materials are worked on, the concern becomes the creation of fine silica dust that can be easily breathed into our respiratory system.

Use of these products by contractors and clean-up after use (to ensure the safety of property owners) is therefore essential.

The following products have undergone endorsed third party testing to verify that their product(s) fall beneath the Safe Work Australia exposure standard for respirable crystalline silica, which
specifies they must not exceed 0.1 mg/m3 (eight hour time weighted average), and NZ Worksafe workplace exposure standard of 0.05 mg/m3. These have been assessed by the respective testing agency’s as falling beneath the detection limit.

Untitled Document
Product Manufacturer
/Importer
Type Website Testing Facility
Abbey Timber Resistance Hybrid SPC https://abbeytimber.com.au/collections/hybrid-spc- flooring Airsafe
Auswood Brumby LUX SPC https://www.auswood.com.au/product/brumby-range- 5g-hybrid/ Airsafe
Auswood Brumby 5G SPC https://www.auswood.com.au/product/brumby-range- 5g-hybrid/ Airsafe
Clever Choice Clever Hybrid XL 6mm SPC https://www.cleverchoice.com.au/clever-hybrid-flooring/ Airsafe
Clever Choice Clever Hybrid Superior 9mm SPC https://www.cleverchoice.com.au/clever-hybrid-flooring/ Airsafe
Dunlop Flooring Heartridge Rigid Plank https://www.heartridge.com.au/ Airsafe
Dunlop Flooring Frontier Rigid Plank https://www.frontierdesignflooring.com.au/ Airsafe
Embelton Flooring Aqua-tuf SPC https://www.embeltonflooring.com/pages/hybrid- flooring Greencap Pty Ltd
Embelton Flooring Resilience SPC https://www.embeltonflooring.com/pages/hybrid- flooring Greencap Pty Ltd
Embelton Flooring Atlantis WPC https://www.embeltonflooring.com/pages/hybrid- flooring Greencap Pty Ltd
Floating Floors Solcora Rigid Core PVC https://solcora.com/collection/ Microanalysis Australia
Preference Floors Iconic WPC https://preferencefloors.com.au/wp-content/ uploads/2022/02/2021-Spec.-Iconic-Hybrid-1.pdf Greencap Pty Ltd
Preference Floors Aspire Rigid Core https://preferencefloors.com.au/wp-content/ uploads/2022/02/2021-Spec.-Aspire-Hybrid-1.pdf Greencap Pty Ltd
Preference Floors Easi-Plank SPC https://preferencefloors.com.au/wp-content/ uploads/2022/02/2021-Spec.-Easi-Plank-Hybrid-1.pdf Greencap Pty Ltd
Preference Floors Hydroplank WPC https://preferencefloors.com.au/wp-content/ uploads/2022/02/2021-Spec.-Hydroplank-Hybrid-1.pdf Greencap Pty Ltd
Premium Floors Titan Rigid LVT https://premiumfloors.com.au/brands/titan-vinyl/ Greencap Pty Ltd
Terra Mater Floors Pty Ltd ResiPlank RigidCore 705 Eternity Collection https://www.terramaterfloors.com.au/range_category/ eternity-collection/ CETEC
Terra Mater Floors Pty Ltd ResiPlank RigidCore 855 Corsica Collection https://www.terramaterfloors.com.au/range_category/ corsica-collection/ CETEC
Terra Mater Floors Pty Ltd ResiPlank RigidCore 977 Summit Collection https://www.terramaterfloors.com.au/range_category/ summit-collection/ CETEC
Topdeck Flooring Avala SPC Hybrid https://www.topdeckflooring.com.au/avala.html Greencap Pty Ltd
Topdeck Flooring Lumiere SPC Hybrid https://www.topdeckflooring.com.au/lumiere.html Greencap Pty Ltd
Topdeck Flooring Storm SPC Hybrid https://www.topdeckflooring.com.au/stormluxury.html Greencap Pty Ltd
Topdeck Flooring Belle Vie Herringbone SPC Hybrid https://www.topdeckflooring.com.au/bellevie.html Greencap Pty Ltd
Topdeck Flooring Artisan Hybrid Tile https://www.topdeckflooring.com.au/artisan.html Greencap Pty Ltd

Manufacturers and importers of these products across Australasia have been invited to provide independent lab testing to verify the silica content of their products, and to ensure safety for use in Australia and New Zealand. To date, only the companies listed in this table have addressed this important initiative.