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Silica is a common mineral found in the earth's crust. When workers cut, grind, drill, or crush materials containing silica, such as concrete and stone, they may inhale tiny crystalline silica particles. These particles can cause severe lung disease, including lung cancer and silicosis. To prevent workers from getting sick, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set guidelines for limiting exposure to respirable crystalline silica. In Texas, AB Labs offers respirable crystalline silica testing services to help employers comply with OSHA's regulations.

 

Are you aware that exposure to silica particles can cause lung disease? If you're an employer in Texas, you can help your workers stay safe and healthy by partnering with AB Labs for respirable crystalline silica testing. Read on to learn more about this crucial service.

 

Introduction:

Silicosis is a preventable occupational lung disease caused by inhaling crystalline silica dust. The disease can take years to develop, but once it does, it's irreversible and potentially fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 2 million workers are exposed to silica each year in the United States. Of these, around 100,000 are at high risk of developing silicosis.

 

To protect workers from the harmful effects of silica exposure, OSHA has established guidelines for employers. These guidelines include limiting worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica to no more than 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air (50 μg/m³) averaged over an eight-hour workday. Employers must also provide respiratory protection when necessary, offer medical exams to workers who may be exposed to silica, and keep records of worker exposure and medical exams.

 

Workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica dust are more likely to develop serious silica-related diseases. The standard requires employers to take precautions to protect workers from respirable crystalline silica exposure.

 

What Is Respirable Crystalline Silica?

Crystalline silica is a common mineral found in natural and artificial stone, as well as sand. Workers may be exposed to very small silica dust particles when they cut, grind, or drill crystalline silica-containing materials or use industrial sand. These tiny particles (referred to as “respirable particles”) can enter workers' lungs and cause silicosis, an incurable and sometimes fatal lung disease. Lung cancer, as well as other potentially debilitating respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease, are caused by respirable crystalline silica. Most of these diseases manifest themselves after years of exposure to respirable crystalline silica.

How Are Workers in General Industry and Maritime Exposed to Respirable Crystalline Silica?

Workers can be exposed to respirable crystalline silica during the:

 

  • Manufacture of glass, pottery, ceramic, brick, concrete, asphalt roofing, jewelry, artificial stone, dental, porcelain, or structural clay products;
  • Use of industrial sand in operations such as foundry work and hydraulic fracturing; and 
  • Use of sand for abrasive blasting (e.g., maritime operations).

 

What Does the Standard Require?

 

The standard for general industry and maritime (29 CFR 1910.1053) requires employers to:

 

  • Determine the amount of silica that workers are exposed to if it is, or may reasonably be expected to be, at or above the action level of 25 μg/m3 (micrograms of silica per cubic meter of air), averaged over an 8-hour day;
  •  Protect workers from respirable crystalline silica exposures above the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 μg/m3 , averaged over an 8-hour day;

 

Examples—Dust Control Methods

Employers can protect workers from silica exposures by using dust controls such as:

 

  • Wet methods that apply water at the point where silica dust is made;
  • Local exhaust ventilation that removes silica dust at or near the point where it is made; and
  • Enclosures that isolate the work process or the worker.

Respirable Crystalline Silica Testing

To comply with OSHA's regulations, employers must monitor worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica. AB Labs offers reliable and accurate testing services to help employers in Texas meet these requirements. The laboratory uses the latest technologies and methods to measure silica exposure levels in workplace air samples.

 

How Respirable Crystalline Silica Testing Works

AB Labs collects air samples from the workplace using specialized pumps and filters. The samples are then analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) or Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to determine the silica content. The laboratory also provides a detailed report of the results, along with recommendations for controlling silica exposure in the workplace.

Benefits of Respirable Crystalline Silica Testing

By partnering with AB Labs for respirable crystalline silica testing, employers in Texas can:

  • Ensure compliance with OSHA's regulations for silica exposure
  • Identify potential hazards and develop effective control measures
  • Protect workers from the harmful effects of silica exposure
  • Avoid costly fines and legal liabilities
  • Improve workplace safety and productivity

 

Conclusion:

Silica exposure is a serious threat to worker health, but it's also preventable. By partnering with AB Labs for respirable crystalline silica testing, employers in Texas can help protect their workers from the harmful effects of silica exposure and comply with OSHA's regulations. With accurate and reliable testing services, AB Labs can help employers identify potential hazards, develop effective control measures, and improve workplace safety and productivity. Contact AB Labs today to learn more about their respirable crystalline silica testing services.

https://ablabs.com
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