Facility Safety Management

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Prevent an Incurable Disease

Reducing Exposure to Silica, a Common Compound

Each year 300 people die from a disease called silicosis, and as many as two million workers are exposed to silica each year. The often fatal disease is entirely preventable, though once acquired there is no cure.

Silica is a naturally occurring mineral compound, and the second most abundant element in the earth’s crust. Many industries expose their employees to airborne silica, such as those involved in cutting, coring or drilling concrete. Cutting wet or using engineering controls such as ventilation are the most effective methods of reducing employee exposure to silica dust.

The Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association offers the following fact sheet and best practices for employers and employees of concrete cutting operations to reduce their exposure to silica dust.

Employers must educate concrete cutting employees in the following ways:

1. Train workers about the health effects of inhaling silica dust and train them in good work practices.

2. Train workers to recognize when and how silica dust may be generated and provide training on how to eliminate or control the dust at the source.

3. Train workers on how to use and maintain engineering controls to reduce silica dust.

4. Establish a respiratory protection program and train workers on when, where and how to use and take care of respirators.

5. To determine if respirators are necessary, use company task-specific air monitoring data, historical data relevant to the tasks and OSHA/NIOSH data to determine the need and type of respirator required.

Respirators are recommended for any dry cutting, and also when cutting inside an enclosed or limited work area.

Employees must practice the following preventive measures when cutting: 1. Always use the dust control systems provided with the machinery and keep them in good operating condition.

2. When sawing or drilling concrete, use equipment that provides water to the blade or bit. Use vacuums or wet sweeping to clean up slurry (water and dust debris).

3. Wear washable clothing. Periodically and at the end of the day, vacuum any dust off clothing.

4. Do not eat, drink or use tobacco products while working or smoking outside of the work area.

5. Wash hands and face before eating or drinking.

6. When required, always wear the appropriate respirator.

Note: With any type of vacuum system, worker protection from respirable dust is only as good as the filter in the vacuum. For the maximum control, use high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, which are 99.97 percent efficient when tested with fine dust (0.3 Ìm). FSM