SAFETY JANE FAYAD HIA Business Safety Manager SOME FACTS ABOUT RESPIRABLE CRYSTALLINE SILICA (RCS) What is it? Crystalline Silica is a common mineral found in: •the majority of rocks, sands, and clays •building products such as concrete, mortar, brick, blocks, pavers, tiles, natural and composite stone benchtops and •cement materials. Reducing the creation of this airborne dust minimises hazardous exposures and can prevent illness. Dust containing Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) is generated by high-energy activities such as cutting, sawing, grinding, drilling, polishing, and crushing of silica containing materials. How do I manage it? among workers performing high risk RCS has a workplace exposure standard tasks What are the health risks? of 0.1 mg/m3. A business must review • ensure regular housekeeping in dusty RCS particles are tiny and cannot be seen any control measures implemented, if the work areas to prevent the accumulation under normal lighting. These particles remain exposure standard for a substance has of dust and airborne long after larger particles have been exceeded. • provide suitable PPE, and include a settled to the ground. The tiny particle size Businesses are required to provide health program to correctly fit, instruct on use means it is easily inhaled into the lungs. monitoring to workers if there is a significant and ensure regular maintenance of Building materials and products that are risk to the worker’s health because of respiratory protective equipment. cut, sanded and drilled create this airborne exposure to Crystalline Silica. Removing exposure to RCS is the most dust. Certain work activities can create Workers exposed to RSC at levels or a effective control measure for managing the RCS exposure risks like dry sweeping, frequency not resulting in a significant risk to risk of work related illness. Where exposure compressed air or blowers, and workers can health, are not required to undergo cannot be eliminated, any exposure to RCS still be exposed to dust if it has settled in health monitoring. must be minimised. clothing or textile materials. Reducing the airborne concentration Under WHS laws, businesses must RCS can cause Silicosis, determined by of RCS requires more than simply relying provide, training, instruction and supervision a number of factors such as how much on respiratory protective equipment. to workers using, storing and handling dust a worker inhales and the duration of the Businesses need to consider additional hazardous chemicals regarding the nature dust exposure. control measures that can be used, such as: of the work, risks and the control measures Silicosis scars the lungs, damaging • apply water suppression systems to implemented. the lung function and in extreme cases reduce dust generation Please refer to Safe Work Australia increasing the risk of lung cancer. • use local exhaust ventilation systems to Codes of Practice for further information Manufacturers and suppliers of products remove dust at the source https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/ containing this chemical need to determine • ensure such ventilation is correctly placed exposure-standards. if workers can be exposed to the respirable and operates at effective flow rates fraction of airborne dust when using these • use dust removal systems on tools to For help with management of your products. Under WHS law, where there is reduce dust exposure of mobile workers Safety issues, please contact exposure to this chemical, products must isolate areas of the workplace where dust Jane Fayad, Business Safety Manager • be clearly labelled and safety data sheets is generated by other workers on 02 9978 3357 or be provided. assess the level of personal exposure email: j.fayad@hia.com.au. • BUILDING NEWS ISSUE 1/2019P17