Thread: Silicosis

In light of a current thread by Bushmiller re "Bandsawing a Spotted Gum", I was inspired to make this post as a result of some concrete cutting he had performed. Although he took good common sense measures with PPE, he also acknowledged that he should have worn a dust mask...

A diamond disc on a 9" angle grinder was used for cutting. It ate the concrete but wasn't so keen on the igneous rocks. I dribbled water onto the blade and used an inline circuit breaker to protect against accidental electrocution (ahem.. who does it deliberately). I also had ear muffs, safety glasses and I should have had a dust mask as the small bore hose didn't suppress the dust sufficiently.

I was tempted to reply to his post in-thread, but did not want to hijack what is a very enthralling tale that many of us are enjoying. I have therefore opted to make this posting separate from his but hope people will somehow find it.

I am as guilty as the next bloke when it comes to skimping on health and safety matters, however I am confident that I can assume very few appreciate the potential consequenses from exposing ourselves (and others) to the likes of concrete dust. As you will read below, there are other mediums relevant to this topic.

We have a lot of discussion on this site regarding the hazards of fine wood dust on ones health, but the potential dangers associated with concrete dust are equally if not more hazardous.

The following has been taken from the Worksafe Victoria website.

Health Effects of Silica Dust

Exposure to silica dust can cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat like most other dusts, resulting in tearing, sneezing or coughing. However, inhalation of very fine (respirable) crystalline silica dust can also cause irreversible scarring of the lungs—a disease called silicosis.

Silicosis usually develops after inhalation exposure to relatively low concentrations of crystalline silica dust or quartz over a long period of time. Victims are likely to suffer severe shortness of breath and will find it difficult or impossible to walk even short distances.

There is no medical treatment for silicosis. Once the disease has begun, it will continue to progress even if the worker is removed from further exposure. People with silicosis are also at greater risk of developing bronchitis and lung cancer.

The risk of developing silicosis depends on many factors including the crystalline silica content of the material being worked with, particle size and concentration of silica in the dust, and the duration of exposure. The recommended national exposure standard for respirable crystalline silica or quartz is an 8 hour average of 0.1 mg/m³.

Silicosis is difficult to detect in its early stages because of the absence of symptoms. Frequent dry coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing and increasing tiredness are possible early indicators. Chest x-rays and lung function tests together with a detailed work history are the main methods of diagnosis.

When cutting concrete, please ensure that you wear a proper fitting P2 filter mask at the absolute minimum. Also ensure that you are not exposing others that may be in the vicinity of where you are working.

In Australian Health and Saftey law, there are severe legal ramifications for not taking adequate measures to control concrete dust and/or similar.

Craig.