How Can Silica Dust Exposure Be Prevented In The Workplace?

How Can Silica Dust Exposure Be Prevented In The Workplace?

Silica is so prevalent within the earth that is can be very difficult to avoid. The fact that when it is  disturbed it can cause such danger means that policies must be put in place to reduce and minimise the risk to workers. According to the Health and Safety Executive, this can be done in a number of ways including:

Assessment – a thorough risk assessment will help you when:

• Planning your overall strategy
• Identifying any health hazards
• Assessing the significance of these hazards
• Involving workers in the management of health risks

Control – once plans are in place they will need to be acted upon, including:

• Preventing risks before they cause illness or injury
• Controlling any remaining risk
• Training workers to identify and manage dangers accordingly

Review – maintaining vigilance is critical so you must:

• Supervise workers and give them the safety support they require
• Maintain machinery and controls regularly

In addition to assessing and managing the risk there are several options available to employers to reduce the risk further, including:

• Eliminating the use of products that contain silica, if possible
• Substituting other products to reduce the risk
• Engineering controls to reduce the risk
• Administrative controls such as training and signage
• PPE – providing protective equipment when necessary
• Local Exhaust Ventilation can be critical in ensuring that particle-laden air is removed from locations where the dust might be prevalent.
• Ensuring that equipment is properly maintained and that anyone who uses it is properly trained in how to do so safely.
• Providing Personal Protective Equipment can make a significant reduction to the risk but only if it is properly maintained and users are trained in how to use it and how to maintain it.
• Wetting materials before or during cutting can reduce the amount of dust emitted during the process
• When cleaning up, do not use a broom or compressed air to move dust, instead use a vacuum cleaner with High Efficiency particulate air filter.

Education is one of the most important tools in the reduction of risk. If workers are aware of the dangers that they face they are more likely to take sensible precautions and act appropriately when performing tasks or working in areas where the risk of inhaling RCS particles is highest.

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