Control of silica exposure from hand tools in construction: grinding concrete.
Appl Occup Environ Hyg 2002 Jul; 17(7):457-461
When construction workers use handheld grinders to smooth poured concrete surfaces after forms are stripped, they risk overexposure to respirable dust and crystalline silica. This article examines the performance of a local exhaust ventiliation system for handheld grinders. The system consisted of the grinder (equipped with a ventilated shroud), a length of flexible corrugated hose, and a portable electric vacuum cleaner that acted as the fan and dust collector for the ventilation system (see Figures 1 and 2). Personal breathing zone air samples for respirable dust and crystalline silica were collected during five days of grinding.
Construction-workers; Workplace-studies; Concretes; Exposure-levels; Respirable-dust; Silica-dusts; Air-samples
Engineering and Physical Hazards Branch, NIOSH, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, USA
Research Tools and Approaches: Control Technology and Personal Protective Equipment; Research Tools and Approaches: Intervention Effectiveness Research
Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene