Silica

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## OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY, 2020 ## Personal protective equipment - 24-8 (1) An employer or contractor shall provide, and require a worker to wear, a respiratory protective device and other personal protective equipment that meet the requirements of Part 7 if: - (a) the protective measures required by section 24-6 or 24-7 are not practicable; or - (b) the worker is employed in cleaning and maintenance work and may be exposed to dust from a silica process. - (2) For workers engaged in abrasive blasting, an employer or contractor shall provide and maintain approved blasting hoods supplied with air: - (a) of a volume of not less than 170 litres per minute at a pressure of not more than 140 kilopascals; and - (b) that is clean and at a reasonable temperature. - (3) For workers who may be exposed to dust resulting from abrasive blasting, an employer or contractor shall provide and maintain respiratory protective devices that meet the requirements of Part 7. 31 Dec 2020 c S-15.1 Reg 10 s24-8. ## Standards for blasting enclosures - 24-9 (1) An employer or contractor shall ensure that every blasting enclosure is: - (a) constructed, operated and maintained to prevent the escape of dust; - (b) provided with an efficient, dust-extraction system, that is operated continuously whenever the blasting enclosure is in use, whether or not abrasive blasting is actually taking place; and - (c) provided with efficient equipment for separating the abrasive from the dust, to the extent that is practicable. - (2) An employer or contractor shall ensure that an abrasive is not reintroduced into a blasting apparatus until the abrasive has been separated from the dust pursuant to clause (1) (c). - (3) An employer or contractor shall ensure that: - (a) a blasting enclosure is inspected daily when in use; - (b) a blasting enclosure, the equipment connected with the enclosure and the ventilating system associated with the enclosure are thoroughly examined and tested…

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## [redacted phone] Communication of respirable crystalline silica hazards to employees - (1) Include respirable crystalline silica in the program established to comply with the hazard communication standard (HCS) (1910.1200). Ensure that each employee has access to labels on containers of crystalline silica and safety data sheets, and is trained in accordance with the provisions of HCS and this subdivision. Ensure that at least the following hazards are addressed: - (a) Cancer - (b) Lung effects - (c) Immune system effects - (d) Kidney effects - (2) Ensure that each employee covered by this subdivision can demonstrate knowledge and understanding of at least the following: - (a) The health hazards associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica; - (b) Specific tasks in the workplace that could result in exposure to respirable crystalline silica; - (c) Specific measures the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to respirable crystalline silica, including engineering controls, work practices, and respirators to be used; - (d) The contents of this subdivision; - (e) The purpose and a description of the medical surveillance program required by [redacted phone]; and - (f) When a competent person is required, the identity of the designated competent person. - (3) Make a copy of [redacted phone] through [redacted phone] readily available without cost to each employee covered by these rules. Stat. Auth.: ORS 654.025(2) and 656.726(4). Stats. Implemented: ORS 654.001 through 654.295. Hist: OR-OSHA Admin. Order 5-2016, f. 9/23/16, ef. 7/1/18. ## [redacted phone] Recordkeeping - (1) Air monitoring data.

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- 1.1. Overview. The term ''silica'' refers specifically to the compound silicon dioxide (SiO2). Silica is a major component of sand, rock, and mineral ores. Exposure to fine (respirable size) particles of crystalline forms of silica is associated with adverse health effects, such as silicosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and activation of latent TB infections. Exposure to respirable crystalline silica can occur in industry settings such as foundries, abrasive blasting operations, paint manufacturing, glass and concrete product manufacturing, brick making, china and pottery manufacturing, manufacturing of plumbing fixtures, and many construction activities including highway repair, masonry, concrete work, rock drilling, and tuck-pointing. New uses of silica continue to emerge. These include countertop manufacturing, finishing, and installation (Kramer et al. 2012; OSHA 2015) and hydraulic fracturing in the oil and gas industry (OSHA 2012). Silicosis is an irreversible, often disabling, and sometimes fatal fibrotic lung disease. Progression of silicosis can occur despite removal from further exposure. Diagnosis of silicosis requires a history of exposure to silica and radiologic findings characteristic of silica exposure. Three different presentations of silicosis (chronic, accelerated, and acute) have been defined. Accelerated and acute silicosis are much less common than chronic silicosis. However, it is critical to recognize all cases of accelerated and acute silicosis because these are life-threatening illnesses and because they are caused by substantial overexposures to respirable crystalline silica. Although any case of silicosis indicates a breakdown in prevention, a case of acute or accelerated silicosis implies current high exposure and a very marked breakdown in prevention. In addition to silicosis, employees exposed to respirable crystalline silica, especially those with accelerated or acute silicosis, are at increased ris…

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## OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY, 2020 - 'blasting enclosure' means a chamber, barrel, cabinet or other similar enclosure designed for the purpose of the abrasive blasting of articles; - 'cleaning of castings' means, in connection with the making of metal castings, the freeing of the castings from adherent sand or other substance containing more than 5% uncombined silica, and includes the removal of cores and the general smoothing of the castings when that freeing is done, but does not include the freeing of castings from scale formed during annealing or heat treatment; - 'sandblasting' means an abrasive blasting process that uses sand as an abrasive; - 'silica flour' means the ground material produced by the milling of siliceous rocks or other siliceous substances; - 'silica process' means a process that may release uncombined silica in a crystalline form in concentrations likely to exceed the contamination limits set out in Table 18 of the Appendix, and includes: - (a) sandblasting; - (b) the cleaning of castings; - (c) the abrasive blasting, grinding or dressing of any surface that contains more than 5% uncombined silica, including the engraving or abrasive cleaning of gravestones or structures; - (d) the getting, cutting, splitting, crushing, grinding, milling, drilling, sieving or other mechanical manipulation of gravel or other siliceous stone or rock that contains more than 5% uncombined silica; - (e) any process in which silica flour is used; and - (f) the manufacture of silica-containing bricks and the dismantling or repair of silica-containing refractory linings of furnaces; - 'siliceous substances' includes diatomite; - 'uncombined silica' means silica that is not combined chemically with any other element or compound. 31 Dec 2020 c S-15.1 Reg 10 s24-1. ## Application of Part 24-2 This Part applies to any place of employment or worksite where a silica process is used. 31 Dec 2020 c S-15.1 Reg 10 s24-2. ## Warning of worker…

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S-15.1 REG 10 ## OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY, 2020 ## Cleaning of blasting equipment, etc. - 24-4 An employer, contractor or owner shall take all practicable steps to prevent the inhalation of silica dust or the dissemination of silica dust into the air of the place of employment during the cleaning or maintenance of any blasting equipment, blasting enclosure, ventilating system or separating equipment. 31 Dec 2020 c S-15.1 Reg 10 s24-4. ## Cleaning of worksites 24-5 An employer or contractor shall ensure that all worksites and work-related areas where dust from a silica process may affect the health or safety of a worker are regularly cleaned using a vacuum that has a HEPA filter on the exhaust or, if a vacuum is not practicable, by using wet methods. 31 Dec 2020 c S-15.1 Reg 10 s24-5. ## Silica processes other than abrasive blasting - 24-6 (1) If a silica process other than abrasive blasting is carried on, an employer or contractor shall ensure that the entry of dust into the air where workers may be present is prevented, to the extent that is practicable, by the provision of: - (a) total or partial enclosure of the process; - (b) efficient local exhaust ventilation; - (c) jets or sprays of a suitable wetting agent; or - (d) any other method that provides equivalent protection to the workers. - (2) An employer or contractor shall ensure that any enclosure, apparatus or exhaust-ventilation equipment provided pursuant to subsection (1) is: - (a) maintained in accordance with subsections 6-4(2) and (3); - (b) inspected daily when in use; and - (c) certified as safe and effective by a competent person at least once each year. - (3) An employer or contractor shall ensure that no air discharged from a ventilation system provided pursuant to subsection (1) is recirculated in the place of employment unless the air is passed through an effective dust removal system equipped with a device that will provide a warning to workers when the system is not wo…

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S-15.1 REG 10 ## OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY, 2020 ## Use of blasting enclosures - 24-10 An employer or contractor shall ensure that: - (a) to the extent that is practicable, no abrasive blasting of articles that are likely to give rise to dust containing uncombined silica is done other than in a blasting enclosure; - (b) if practicable, no sand or other substance containing more than 1% by weight of uncombined silica is used for abrasive blasting in a blasting enclosure; and - (c) no work is performed in a blasting enclosure except: - (i) abrasive blasting and work immediately incidental to abrasive blasting; and - (ii) cleaning and maintenance of the blasting enclosure, the equipment associated with the blasting enclosure and the ventilation system. 31 Dec 2020 c S-15.1 Reg 10 s24-10. ## Sandblasting 24-11 (1) An employer or contractor shall ensure that no sandblasting is done to any article outside a blasting enclosure if it is reasonably practicable to introduce the article into a blasting enclosure. - (2) An employer or contractor shall ensure that no sandblasting is done inside any structure or confined space without: - (a) obtaining the written permission of the director; and - (b) complying with any conditions that the director may specify. 31 Dec 2020 c S-15.1 Reg 10 s24-11. ## Silica flour - 24-12 An employer or contractor shall ensure that no silica flour is used: - (a) for any purpose for which a less hazardous substance may be substituted; or - (b) in the manufacture of scouring powder or abrasive soaps or as an abrasive in any process. 31 Dec 2020 c S-15.1 Reg 10 s24-12. ## Medical examinations - 24-13 (1) In this section, 'worker' means a worker who is regularly employed in a silica process. - (2) Not less than once every 2 years and with consent of the worker, the employer shall: - (a) offer to arrange for a medical examination of the worker during the worker's normal working hours; and - (b) reimburse the worker for…