silica dust
play

Silica Dust: You Are More At Risk Than You May Think Its only dust - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Health and Safety Health and Safety Executive Executive Silica Dust: You Are More At Risk Than You May Think Its only dust you know! What is the Problem? Why is it a Problem? Particles need to be respirable to cause harm


  1. Health and Safety Health and Safety Executive Executive Silica Dust: You Are More At Risk Than You May Think

  2. “It’s only dust you know!”

  3. What is the Problem?

  4. Why is it a Problem? • Particles need to be “respirable” to cause harm • Issue is Respirable Crystalline Silica or RCS • RCS particles can penetrate to deep lung

  5. Why is it a Problem? • A micron is one millionth of a meter. • Human hair varies between 40 to 100 µ m thick. • Respirable dust = 10 µ m or less

  6. Small size means often invisible under Why is it a Problem? normal conditions

  7. Why is it a Problem? Repeated Exposure to Silica cause serious health effects: • Lung disease & reduced lung function • Disease continues to develop when exposure has stopped • Silicosis • Can also cause lung cancer and COPD • Can cause death

  8. Why is it a Problem? Statistics are imprecise: • 10 – 20 % of construction workers exposed ??? • Over 500 silica related deaths in 2004 – – Over 10 a week • Research suggests silica is the second most important cause of occupational lung cancer after asbestos

  9. How Much is a Problem? COSHH sets WEL for dust: General Dust • 10 mg.m -3 (inhalable) • 4 mg.m -3 (respirable) Respirable Silica • 0.1 mg.m -3 (8-hour TWA)

  10. How Much is a Problem?

  11. How Much is a Problem? 15 min SLAB CUTTING (40% silica) in open air, no control • Diamond blade = RCS exposure of 1.6 mg/m 3 • Resin blade = RCS exposure of 4.8 mg/m 3

  12. • Can exposure be reduced? Control Solutions

  13. Control Solutions Water Suppression

  14. Control Solutions Water Sources

  15. Control Solutions Water Suppression has other advantages: • Extends the life of expensive diamond blades • H elps prevent build up of dust in the machine workings

  16. Control Solutions Issues associated with water suppression use: • Marking the cut line • Slurry generation • Wet legs

  17. Control Solutions On-Tool LEV is also an option.

  18. What about RPE Disposable (FFP3) Orinasal Half Mask PF = 20

  19. Be worn correctly What about RPE Must fit correctly

  20. PF = 20 What about RPE Power Assisted

  21. Significant Risks to your health No or Ineffective Controls = Enforcement

  22. Any Questions? Thank You

Download Presentation
Download Policy: The content available on the website is offered to you 'AS IS' for your personal information and use only. It cannot be commercialized, licensed, or distributed on other websites without prior consent from the author. To download a presentation, simply click this link. If you encounter any difficulties during the download process, it's possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.

Recommend


More recommend