1. Silica Hazard Awareness Training

2. Purpose of this training
The purpose of this training is to alert employees to the hazards of silica exposure. E Light Electric Services, Inc. requires all employees to be trained to recognize and mitigate the hazards of silica in the workplace.

3. Training Outline The following topics will be covered in this module:
What is silica
Health hazards associated with silica exposure
Exposure limits
Where it is used and/or found in construction
Exposure control methods

4. What is Silica
The dioxide form of silicone, occurring especially as quartz sand, flint, and agate: used usually in the form of its prepared white powder chiefly in the manufacture of glass, water glass, ceramics, and abrasives.
Also called Silicone Dioxide.
It is found naturally in almost all rock and soil.
Also found in concrete products and brick.

5. Silica Health Hazards
There are three main types of silicosis which depend on the concentrations of silica dust and duration of exposure:
Chronic Silicosis
Accelerated Silicosis
Acute Silicosis

6. Inhaled silica dust scars the lungs
Silica Health Hazards
Inhaled silica dust scars the lungs
A lung disease called “silicosis” is caused by breathing of dust containing silica.
The dust causes “fibrosis” or scar tissue formation in the lungs.
This reduces the lung’s ability to extract oxygen from the air.

7. Silica Health Hazards
Chronic Silicosis develops after 10 or more years of exposure to crystalline silica at relatively low concentrations. Accelerated Silicosis develops 5 to 10 years after initial exposure to crystalline silica at high concentrations. Acute Silicosis develops within a few weeks, or 4 to 5 years, after exposure to very high concentrations of crystalline silica.
It is important to note that silicosis develops over a long period of regular exposure. Silica is not like asbestos where only one fiber of asbestos can cause you problems. The body has built in mechanisms to protect your body from exposure to silica.

8. Silica Health Hazards Symptoms:
Workers may not have any signs of symptoms initially, however, as the disease progresses, a worker may experience:
Shortness of breath
Severe cough
Weakness

9. Silica Exposure Limits
To protect workers from silica exposure OSHA has set specific exposure standards
all occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica in construction work, except where employee exposure will remain below 25 micrograms per cubic meter of air (25 μg/m3) as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) under any foreseeable conditions.

10. Exposure to Silica in Construction
Area’s or tasks that could cause worker exposure to silica:
Abrasive blasting
Rock and concrete drilling
Concrete and masonry building construction
Earthwork and rock crushing
Masonry and concrete building demolition
Road construction and repair
Sweeping concrete dust

11. Exposure to Silica in Construction
Silica exposure mitigations
The best way to protect yourself from the health hazards of silica is to not be around it all. Always try to plan work to keep employees away from exposure.
Plan work such as setting anchors in a deck before concrete is poured.
Use wet methods whenever cutting concrete or sanding concrete when possible.
A competent person must be designated on the site. The competent person will be responsible for evaluating each task before starting.
Because situations may change, EACH TASK must be evaluated and a JHA must be developed specific to the task before starting the task.
A “general JHA” that covers a broad scope of work will not be acceptable.

12. Exposure to Silica in Construction
Rock and concrete drilling
Whenever drilling a hole larger than 1/2” into concrete a dust collection system or a wet method is required to control the dust. If there is a situation where there is multiple holes being drilled or the holes are in an enclosed space, these protections are also required regardless of the size of the hole.

13. Exposure to Silica in Construction
Concrete Work
Concrete work can develop heavy amounts of dust. E Light Electric Services, Inc. employees are not typically at a high risk of exposure to silica dust. However other contractor tasks may create hazardous conditions for E Light employees. Be sure to always communicate with other contractors. If another contractor is creating a hazardous condition, E Light employees must leave the area until the conditions are safe. E Light employees must report any unsafe conditions to the supervisor and/or competent person immediately. If E Light employees are creating a silica hazard, the task must be stopped and re-evaluated in order to control the dust before continuing the task.

14. Exposure to Silica in Construction
Concrete Work
Power sanding
Jack-hammering
“Using water will usually reduce levels to below the PEL in these activities. “
Generates moderate to heavy amounts of dust
Generates heavy amounts of dust

15. Silica Exposure – concrete cutting without water
“ The more enclosed the space is, the higher the amounts of dust will be in the air – unless there is really good ventilation.”
Generates large amounts of dust

16. Silica Exposure – Concrete cutting without water
With water
Generates moderate to heavy amounts of dust without water.

17. Silica Exposure – cutting concrete siding with a power saw
On some new construction, a lightweight concrete siding (hardiplank) is being used.
Cutting this siding with a power saw without water or ventilation can result in silica overexposure.
Cutting with powered nippers or guillotine cutters generates very little dust. If power saws must be used, cut with water.

18. Sweeping on a Construction Site
Always avoid dry sweeping or using forced air to clean up concrete dust. These are both methods that will stir up a large amount of dust. Instead, use wet sweeping methods or use a high efficiency vacuum for clean up.

19. Respirator Policy
No employee shall be forced to wear a respirator. If conditions exist where a respirator would be required, E Light employees must move out of the area until it is safe to return without a respirator. Employees may voluntarily wear a N95 type respirator if they feel they need one as long as the competent person has deemed it to not create a greater risk for the employee.