OSHA document describes silica control
Source: Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Controlling Silica Exposures in Construction, a guidance document recently published by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration addresses the control of worker exposure to dust containing crystalline silica, known to cause the lung disease silicosis.

The publication, intended to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace, includes methods for controlling silica such as wet cutting during construction operations. Wet cutting controls silica dust generated when using hand-held saws, grinders and jackhammers. Wetting materials at the point of impact makes the dust particles heavier and more likely to stick to each other, reducing the chance of dust becoming airborne.

Vacuum dust collection systems also effectively control silica by drawing dust particles away from the worker’s breathing zone and depositing them into a filtered dust collection chamber.

+ Full Document (PDF; 1.1 MB)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 at 10:05 pm and is filed under Health and healthcare, Labor, Safety. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.