How To Protect You and Your Workmates From Exposure to Silica
Posted on November 29, 2024
If you work in Australian construction, mining, manufacturing, agriculture, shipping or rail networks, there’s every chance you or your workmates might one day come into contact with silica dust.
Also known as crystalline silica, this natural mineral is found in everything from concrete, mortar, tiles, engineered stone, bricks and even some plastics. When these materials are mechanically processed (so cut or ground), Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) forms. And it can be a killer.
As experts in silica dust prevention training, Sydney Safety Training provides the necessary skills and knowledge you legally require if you risk coming into contact with RCS. In this article, we outline training details for our fully accredited courses. However, we also go into greater detail about how to protect yourself and your workmates from silica dust so you can implement best practices ASAP.
| Stay compliant and protect yourself and your workmates from exposure to crystalline silica. Get the right workplace training with our experts. Call 02 9892 3370. |
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Silica Exposure Prevention Training
Silica training is not a ‘nice-to-have’ – it’s a legal requirement in NSW and Australia-wide. Under Workplace Health and Safety law, employers of PCBUs (persons conducting a business or undertaking) are required to control the risks of exposure to silica.
The Sydney Safety Training 10830nat course in crystalline silica exposure prevention provides all the knowledge, training, and accreditation you legally require. The course takes just four hours and is held weekly at our Villawood Sydney training facility. Weekend courses and training off-site (on your company premises, for example) are also possible.
[Learn More About Silica Awareness Training ]
Major Silica Health Risks
Silica crystalline dust particles are approximately 100 times smaller than a grain of sand. This means you can breathe them in without even knowing. Both prolonged low-level exposure and short-term high-level exposure can result in major health concerns, including:
- Lung cancer (the Australian Cancer Council estimates 230 people develop lung cancer each year as a result of previous work exposure to silica)
- Silicosis (irreversible lung scarring and stiffening)
- Kidney (renal) disease
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Tubulointerstitial disease
- Chronic bronchitis
- Emphysema
Once exposure occurs, you can do nothing to reverse the potential damage, and it becomes a waiting game to see if symptoms develop for any of these diseases. Make no mistakes – exposure to silica dust can cause major disease and even death. Therefore, it stands to reason that silica prevention should be front and centre in the workplace.
Workplace Exposure Standard for Silica Dust Exposure
The Workplace Exposure Standard (WES) for exposure to silica dust is very clear. Levels must not exceed 0.05mg/m3 across an eight-hour working day for a five-day working week.
Crystalline Silica Exposure Prevention
OK, now you know what it is, how bad it can be, and the training you are legally required to undertake, let’s consider some preventative steps you can begin to take right now.
Ensure You Conduct a Silica Exposure Risk Assessment
Before undertaking any mechanical process that risks exposure to silica, someone with the appropriate training must identify if this is High-Risk Crystalline Silica Work (HRCSW). You have two options at this point:
- You conduct a risk assessment;
- You move ahead without one on the premise that it is classed as HRCSW.
A risk assessment must consider:
- An outline of the specific tasks to be undertaken with crystalline silica-containing material;
- The form of silica (e.g. brick, stone, concrete);
- What proportion of the material is silica;
- Any past atmospheric monitoring results;
- Information pertaining to illness, disease or incidents inherent with workplace exposure to silica.
Conduct Ongoing Health Monitoring
Minimum health monitoring is required if there is any chance you or a colleague might be exposed to silica dust whilst undertaking work. The baseline monitoring must include:
- Recordings of any personal exposure;
- Gathering demographic, medical and work history;
- Completing a standardised respiratory questionnaire;
- Undergoing standardised respiratory function tests;
- Undergoing a chest X-ray.
Silica Dust Prevention – Alternatives For You to Consider
What can you do daily to prevent crystalline silica dust exposure to you and your workmates? Here are some ideas to get you started:
Construction, planning and design
- Consider alternative materials that stand no chance of containing crystalline silica.
- Order materials at the right size to prevent on-site cutting or grinding.
Equipment
- Replace circular saws with fibre cement sheet shears.
- Use drilling machines with dust-suppressing features.
- Use vehicles with dust collection mechanisms.
- Regularly clean and maintain any filtering systems.
Adequate ventilation
- Install hoods or local exhaust ventilation to help remove dust.
Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE)
- No single RPE can 100% prevent you from breathing in crystalline silica.
- However, RPE can offer some protection provided it meets AS/NZS 1715:2009 standards.
- Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) clothing and, if possible, leave it at work so you do not go home in dust-covered gear.
Cleaning
- Do not sweep a site. Instead, use a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter vacuum (which should also be regularly cleaned and maintained).
Sydney Safety Training courses provide you with all the knowledge and information you need to learn how to prevent silica dust exposure. Contact our team today on 02 9892 3370 or use our silica exposure induction online booking in the link below to enrol in a course.
[Learn More About Silica Awareness Training]