Work with natural materials and man-made materials containing quartz has a potential to exposed employees or installation engineers to significant levels of respirable crystalline silica. People working in worktop manufacturing, concrete productions, quarries and stonemasonries are usually most at risk from exposure to respirable crystalline silica. Silica is a natural substance found in most rocks, sand and clay and in products such as bricks and concrete. When silica containing materials are being cut a lot of dust is created. Certain proportion of this dust is small enough to reach deep inside the lung, this is known as respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and can cause harm to health.
In this project I have helped one of my clients to evaluate the likely exposure levels of kitchen worktop fitting engineers to airborne respirable crystalline silica. I have carried out personal exposure measurement in simulated situations likely to arise during normal installation activities. As a part of the assessment I have evaluated the effectiveness of various pieces of localised portable extraction equipment.
The simulated operation I have evaluated consisted of all the tasks an “on site” operative needs to perform to fully fit a kitchen. The kitchen fitting process involves various tasks including cutting of the kitchen worktops. Cutting and drilling is usually performed over short periods of time when required. In conversation with my client, site operatives and after observation of the kitchen fitting process I have estimated that the operatives carry out the following task:
| General sizing | 2.6m | Jig saw cut | 0.5 |
| Hob cut out | 2.4m | Bevel edges | 5m |
| Insert sink cut out | 2.5m | Radius end cut out | 0.5 |
| 7mm hole | 12x | Under mount sink cut out | 1x |
| 12mm hole | 4x | Drain groves | 5x |
| 34m tap home | 1x |
The current maximum exposure level to respirable crystalline silica is listed is the HSE document UK HSE document entitled “ EH40/2005 Workplace exposure limits” and is set to 0.1mg/m3 (Long-term exposure limit (8-hr TWA reference period)).
Following the analysis of my samples observation of the working practices and implemented engineering controls I have concluded that the “on site” kitchen fitters are unlikely to be exposed to levels of respirable crystalline silica dust above the exposure limits providing appropriate dust control measures are maintained. Due to the fact that respirable crystalline silica is a known carcinogen I have recommended the use of suitable respiratory protection of at least FFP3 standard as an additional protection measure.
I have helped my client to understand the likely risk levels from inhalation of respirable crystalline silica during kitchen installation and identified the most effective portable extraction systems to be used by site engineers.
Health Effects from Crystalline Silica
Crystalline Silica is a natural mineral found in the earths crust. Materials used in construction such as sand, stone, concrete, and mortar all contain this mineral. It is used to create many common products such as glass, pottery, ceramics, bricks, and artificial stone. When carrying out work such as cutting, sawing, grinding, crushing, or drilling materials such as rock, concrete, brick, or mortar, particles much smaller than grains of sand are spread. This type of work puts workers at risk at inhaling the particles and exposing them to respirable crystalline silica dust.
Workers who find themselves inhaling this particle are at a substancial risk of developing serious silica related health problems such as;
- Silicosis
- Lung cancer
- COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
- Kidney disease
The best way to protect your employees is to contact a specialist such as Sysco Environmental who can carry out an exposure monitoring program that can provide you with information on the provision of an adequate risk assessment, the exposure levels of your employees, effectiveness of existing controls, and recommendations on the best industry exposure control standards. If you are an industry that works with the following, please do not hesitate to get in touch today for more information and a free quotation. Industries such as;
- Natural Gas Extraction
- Quarrying
- Demolition / Construction
- Foundry
- Glass Work
- Stone Masonry
- Worktop manufacturer
