Crystalline Silica Dust Safety: Respirable Silica Hazards and Control Measures
Overview
Crystalline silica is a mineral found in materials like concrete, brick, stone, and sand. When these materials are cut, ground, or drilled, they create respirable dust particles that can lodge deep in the lungs, causing serious health problems over time.
Why This Is Important
Silica dust exposure causes silicosis, an incurable lung disease that scars lung tissue and makes breathing progressively difficult. It also increases risks for lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and kidney disease. Because damage is irreversible and symptoms appear after years of exposure, prevention through proper controls is absolutely critical.
Best Practices & Safety Tips
- Use water or wet methods to suppress dust at the source during cutting, drilling, or grinding operations
- Utilize tools with integrated dust collection systems that capture particles before they become airborne
- Wear properly fitted respirators (minimum N95) when engineering controls don’t adequately reduce exposure
- Never use compressed air to blow dust off clothing or surfaces—it creates hazardous airborne concentrations
- Work in well-ventilated areas and position yourself upwind of dust generation when possible
- Keep work areas clean using HEPA-filtered vacuums, never dry sweeping or blowing dust
- Participate in medical surveillance programs that monitor lung function if you work with silica regularly
- Change out of dusty clothing before leaving work and wash work clothes separately from family laundry
- Maintain dust collection equipment and replace filters according to manufacturer specifications
- Recognize that cumulative exposure over years causes disease—protect yourself every shift, not just occasionally
Discussion Questions
- What tasks in your work involve materials containing crystalline silica?
- What engineering controls are available to reduce dust when cutting or grinding concrete and masonry?
- How do you know if your respirator is properly fitted and providing adequate protection?
- Why is wet cutting preferred over dry cutting for silica-containing materials?
- What are the early warning signs of silicosis, and why do symptoms appear years after exposure?
Takeaway
Crystalline silica is an invisible threat that causes permanent lung damage. Because symptoms don’t appear until significant harm has occurred, you must use dust controls, wet methods, and respiratory protection consistently throughout your career—your long-term health depends on it.