Page 24 - Occupational Health & Safety, January/February 2020

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY
The most common violations were for failing to conduct an exposure assessment for respirable silica, a lack of suitable equip- ment and not possessing or being able to show evidence of a writ- ten exposure control plan.
One of OSHA’s main concerns is the use of subcontractors as they are notoriously difficult to police. 2019 saw 2,450 viola- tions for lack of “respiratory protection.”6 The companies responsi- ble for these violations were not giving their staff appropriate medi- cal examinations and health checks and did not have a “respiratory protection program.”
While rates of silicosis diagnoses have declined rapidly over the last five decades, serious cases are still cropping up today. Most notably, the engineered stone industry, based predominantly in California, Colorado, Texas and Washington, saw 18 men with diagnoses that were “severe” and progressive. Of those cases, two men died.
Achieving Compliance
Based on these most recent findings, it seems the most important steps are often those being overlooked by non-compliant compa- nies.7 The first actions for businesses struggling should be to revisit OSHA’s latest regulations, consider where they are falling short of compliance and come up with solutions as quickly as possible.
For example, companies being fined often have appropriate measures in place, but cannot provide evidence of actionable steps, like providing a written control exposure plan for their companies.
A solution could be to appoint a competent employee familiar with health and safety regulations and make them responsible for writing this documentation and ensuring it is executed correctly.
Another way to increase business compliance is to invest in the right industrial equipment to ensure workplaces are cleaned to a high professional standard. Consider industrial vacuums with a HEPA filter, as these remove more than 99.97 percent of dust par- ticles down to 0.3 microns in size.
Finally, and most importantly, successful silica avoidance comes down to proper training. Alongside mandatory written plans, employees should have regular training on the guidelines to reduce the risk of mistakes and minimizing exposure. In many cases, training in silica safety and practice is enough to satisfy regu- latory officials. Visual aids in areas of high concentrations of dust, alongside training, can also be used as reminders of the importance of maintaining these stricter safety standards.8
Improving Conditions for Workers
Methods of gathering air quality data are much simpler now, and the new focus on the respirable fraction of silica makes it easier to identify at-risk areas and implement safety measures.
Conditions for workers can be improved significantly if they are well-informed about the most practical methods to avoid over-ex- posure. Silica and asbestos particles get airborne during sandblast- ing, stone cutting and many other construction practices.
With even common cement and brick harboring between 20 to 30 percent silica, limiting these particles from becoming airborne is paramount to avoiding ingestion of the harmful products.
When cutting materials, wetting the blade and the material makes the dust congeal onto the blade, which reduces how much
becomes airborne. It is possible to get attachable water dispensers on concrete saws to help this too.
Ensure rooms are well-ventilated and enforce the advised housekeeping rules and suitable water delivery and dust collection systems9 that will help clear some of the dust before it is inhaled.
When it comes to improving working conditions and employee health, people don’t often use their breaks. When dealing with silica, missing out on breaks can be especially detrimental. Check all em- ployees are aware it is advised to spend no more than four hours in this environment with a ‘no return within two hours’ policy.10
OSHA also provides an actionable guide on adequate respira- tory protection, which means all businesses can check their teams are kitted out correctly when handling silica.11
Future Legislation
With new legislation in place, OSHA is already considering fur- ther changes and regulations like bringing the fracking industry in compliance with new PEL’s in 2021.
Respirable crystalline silica can be found in the form of “frac sand,” which the rules are looking to mitigate respiratory problems. It is found at every stage of the fracking process and in large quanti- ties prompting regulatory action.
The recently introduced “action level” is to be the new bench- mark for frequently medical exams. As of June 23, 2020, if you are exposed to concentration levels that exceed 25 micrograms a day, for more than 30 days a year, you will also be taken in for frequent medical exams.
Anh-Tai Vuong is president, corporate sales and business develop- ment, at DuroVac, a manufacturer of industrial vacuums designed for rugged applications. With a Bachelor of Engineering from McGill University, Vuong has worked in industrial sales his entire profession- al life. He specializes in aluminium smelters (primary metals), potash and fertilizers (mining), steel mills and foundries (primary metals) and combustible dust.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3176.html
2. https://www.osha.gov/silica/factsheets/OSHA_FS-3683_Silica_
Over view.html
3. https://www.osha.gov/silica/factsheets/OSHA_FS-3683_Silica_ Over view.html
4. https://www.osha.gov/dsg/topics/silicacrystalline/gi_maritime.html
5. https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=17e72f51-3e16-4b6d-
9371-051a78963a5a
6. http://www.safetynewsalert.com/oshas-top-10-violations-for- 2019-27k-citations/
7. https://www.osha.gov/dsg/topics/silicacrystalline/gi_maritime.html
8. https://www.agc.org/sites/default/files/Files/Safety%20%26%20Health/
Flow%20Chart_03.01.17_0.pdf
9. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3902.pdf 10. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3902.pdf
11. https://www.constructconnect.com/blog/5-tips-complying-oshas-new- silica-dust-rule-construction
20 Occupational Health & Safety | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020
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