Dealing with DPM

Details

• Personal Author:
  Grau R ; Noll J ; Patts L
• Description:
  Many underground aggregates operations use enclosed cabs as their mainstay control technology to protect workers from diesel particulate matter (DPM). However, some workers, such as blasters, do not always work inside a cab and can potentially be exposed to elevated concentrations of DPM. Such exposure is a health concern for miners because DPM is classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. To reduce exposures of its blasters, one stone mine increased ventilation, installed a diesel particulate filter on the blasters' truck, and used 20 percent biodiesel. When these improvements failed to reduce the DPM to the desired levels, the mine instituted administrative controls, which included operating some of the highest DPM-emitting vehicles (loaders and trucks) during a different shift than the blasters and, when possible, operating other vehicles such as drills and scalers downstream of the blasters. When correctly applied, these controls proved to be effective in bringing the blasters into compliance. Further, when these administrative controls were not strictly followed, real-time measurements could help prevent an overexposure by providing an early warning, allowing corrective actions to be implemented quickly. This paper describes the administrative controls, their effectiveness, and the use of real-time monitoring to manage them. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Carcinogens Environmental Exposure Mining Occupational Health Particulate Matter Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Vehicle Emissions Ventilation
• Keywords:
  Administrative Controls Blasting Diesel Emissions Diesel Engines Diesel Exhaust Diesel Exhausts Emission Sources Exposure Levels Filters Health Effects Mining Equipment Mining Industry Monitoring Systems Particulates Risk Factors Underground Construction Underground Miners Underground Mines Underground Mining Underwater Workers

  More +
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• ISSN:
  0747-3605
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PMRD - Pittsburgh Mining Research Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  118
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20050190
• Citation:
  Rock Prod 2015 Mar; 118(3):36,38,40-41
• Email:
  jnoll@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Rock Products
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:0f825e710113ec7c911ebb35a93647a287c11191770db6fc88418c251c3b360c2755c8822651901aac5c790ae1a3a750052294c97d330f16de07414c2296cf3e
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/228479/cdc_228479_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 5.62 MB ]