In-Depth Survey Report: Removing mortar with a die grinder with on-tool local exhaust ventilation

Echt, Alan S.; Qi, Chaolong

doi:10.26616/NIOSHEPHB38115a

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CDC STACKS serves as an archival repository of CDC-published products including scientific findings, journal articles, guidelines, recommendations, or other public health information authored or co-authored by CDC or funded partners. As a repository, CDC STACKS retains documents in their original published format to ensure public access to scientific information.

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In-Depth Survey Report: Removing mortar with a die grinder with on-tool local exhaust ventilation

2019/05/01
By Echt, Alan S. ; Qi, Chaolong
Series: Engineering and Physical Hazards Survey Reports

[PDF-1.66 MB]

English

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Details:

Alternative Title:

In-Depth Survey Report: Removing Mortar with a Die Grinder with On-Tool Local Exhaust Ventilation, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Southern Ohio-Kentucky Regional Training Center, Batavia, Ohio
Personal Author:

Echt, Alan S. ; Qi, Chaolong

Echt, Alan S. ; Qi, Chaolong Less -
Corporate Authors:

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Division of Applied Research and Technology
Description:

Background: Workplace exposure to respirable crystalline silica can cause silicosis, a progressive lung disease marked by scarring and thickening of the lung tissue. Several construction materials, such as brick, block, mortar and concrete contain crystalline silica. Construction tasks that cut, break, grind, abrade, or drill those materials have been associated with overexposure to dust containing respirable crystalline silica. Tuckpointing (repointing) removes damaged mortar from joints in masonry walls and replaces it with new mortar to restore the wall. The use of grinders to remove mortar results in worker overexposure to respirable crystalline silica. NIOSH scientists are conducting a study to assess the respirable crystalline silica exposures associated with mortar removal when tools other than grinders are used. Assessment: NIOSH staff visited the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers' Southern Ohio-Kentucky Regional Training Center, Batavia, Ohio on December 20, 2017 and performed industrial hygiene sampling, which measured exposures to respirable dust and respirable crystalline silica while an apprentice bricklayer used a die grinder with on-tool local exhaust ventilation to remove mortar from a brick wall. The NIOSH scientists also observed the work process in order to understand the conditions that contributed to the measured exposure and collected air flow data. Results: Personal breathing zone respirable crystalline silica concentrations measured during 10 to 26-minute-long periods of mortar removal ranged from less than the limit of detection to 0.54 mg/m3; the average concentration was 0.22 mg/m3. Conclusions and Recommendations: On average, die grinder with on-tool local exhaust ventilation reduced respirable quartz exposures when compared to angle grinders tested in a previous study. However, the range of exposures measured during the tests described in this report indicate that there is room for improvement. Closer examination of the tool and control with video exposure monitoring might reveal which tool positions result in the best capture and which tool positions should be avoided to best control exposure. The results could be incorporated in training materials that accompany the on-tool hood. The ridge on the outside of the vinyl hose cuff was not large enough to prevent the cuff from slipping out of the back of the holder. A better way of positioning the cuff to permit the bricklayer to keep it close to the work surface might be helpful. A flange added to the inlet of the cuff would keep it from slipping out of the back of the holder and improve capture. The Industrial Ventilation Manual [ACGIH 2013] describes an extractor head for cone wheels and mounted points that consists of an annular slot at the base of the bit. Perhaps that design could be adapted to this tool and task.
Subjects:

[+]

Accidents, Occupational Occupational Health Safety
Keywords:

[+]

Air Flow Air Sampling Breathing Zone Brick Bricklayers Cements Concretes Construction Construction Equipment Construction Workers Control Technology Crystalline Silica Dust Dust Control Dust Exposure Employee Exposure Engineering Controls Equipment Testing Exhaust Ventilation Exposure Assessment Exposure Levels Exposure Limits Grinding Equipment Industrial Environment Industrial Hygiene Masons Mortar N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators OSHA Region 5 PELs Permissible Exposure Limits Power Tools Quartz Dust Recommendations Recommended Exposure Limits RELs Respirable Crystalline Silica Respirable Dust Respirators Respiratory Protection Safety Research Sampling Silica Dusts Tools Tuckpointing Tuck Pointing Worker Health Worker Safety Work Practices
Series:

Engineering and Physical Hazards Survey Reports
DOI:

10.26616/NIOSHEPHB38115a
Publisher:

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Document Type:

Text
Name as Subject:

International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
Genre:

Field Study
Place as Subject:

Ohio ; Batavia (Ohio) ; OSHA Region 5

Ohio ; Batavia (Ohio) ; OSHA Region 5 Less -
CIO:

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Division:

DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology ; EPHB - Engineering and Physical Hazards Branch

DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology ; EPHB - Engineering and Physical Hazards Branch Less -
Topic:

Workplace Safety & Health
Location:

North America
Pages in Document:

1-19
NIOSHTIC Number:

20057360
NTIS Accession Number:

PB2021-100208
Citation:

Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, EPHB 381-15a, 2019 May; :1-19
CAS Registry Number:

Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7)
Federal Fiscal Year:

2019
NORA Priority Area:

Construction
Peer Reviewed:

False
NAICS and SIC Codes:

611513 - Apprenticeship Training - (NAICS 2017)
Resource Number:

EPHB-381-15a
Collection(s):

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Main Document Checksum:

[+]

urn:sha-512:4c7770ecd2a6494c7546231370d4091cf33f379fa18990d324733843eff6b0979082222c75a5ccf7d82e2cf18e4dedfb557cbbd74a763bb8d40828e16acedf2a
Download URL:

https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/175042/cdc_175042_DS1.pdf
File Type:

No Additional Files

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In-Depth Survey Report: Removing mortar with a die grinder with on-tool local exhaust ventilation

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