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.
i
Evaluation of Silica Exposures During Micro Trenching
-
2019/07/01
-
Source: 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, HHE 2019-0020-3353, 2019 Jul; :1-26
Details:
-
Alternative Title:Health Hazard Evaluation Report: Evaluation of Silica Exposures During Micro Trenching: HHE 2019-0020-3353
-
Personal Author:
-
Corporate Authors:
-
Description:Management from a communications company requested a health hazard evaluation concerning employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica during micro trenching activities (process of cutting the roadway to install communication cable). During a given workday, employees performed tasks that included cutting the micro trench, installing the cable, emptying the vacuum truck, filling the micro trench, and loading the dumpster. Over a three-day period, we observed work processes and work practices, collected air samples for respirable crystalline silica and respirable dust, collected bulk samples of the material being cut to determine its silica content, and measured the air velocity in the vacuum hose. We found low concentrations of respirable dust in the air; respirable crystalline silica was not detected. The vacuum truck appeared to control exposures. Emptying the vacuum and loading the dumpster produced the most dust. We found between 5.5% and 26% quartz in the bulk samples. Employees were not wearing their respirators correctly, and appeared to be unsure about proper donning and doffing techniques. Some employees had facial hair and did not recall being fit tested. We recommended the company explore other methods for loading the dumpster and cleaning the vacuum filter because these tasks caused the most dust, and potentially, the greatest risk of exposures. We made a number of recommendations on ways to improve the company respiratory protection program. We also recommended the company perform periodic noise monitoring to determine which job tasks require hearing protection as there appeared to be excessive noise generated when the saw and vacuum when both were operating together.
-
Subjects:
-
Keywords:
-
Source:
-
Series:
-
DOI:
-
Publisher:
-
Document Type:
-
Genre:
-
Place as Subject:
-
CIO:
-
Division:
-
Topic:
-
Location:
-
Pages in Document:26 pdf pages
-
Contributor:Tyrawski, Jennifer;Booher, Donald;Moore, Kevin;
-
NIOSHTIC Number:20056742
-
NTIS Accession Number:PB2019-101216
-
Citation:NIOSH [2019]. Evaluation of silica exposures during micro trenching. By Grant MP, Hammond DR. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Health Hazard Evaluation Report 2019-0020-3353. https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHHE201900203353
-
CAS Registry Number:
-
Editor(s):
-
Federal Fiscal Year:2019
-
NORA Priority Area:
-
Peer Reviewed:False
-
NAICS and SIC Codes:
-
Resource Number:HHE-2019-0020-3353
-
Collection(s):
-
Main Document Checksum:
-
Download URL:
-
File Type: