A worker at the primary crusher was carrying out cleanup and housekeeping duties when personal monitoring measured respirable silica levels around six times the exposure standard. While the worker was wearing a disposable respirator, it wasn’t the most effective choice for the conditions. A disposable respirator can only offer a protection factor of up to 10 times—and that’s only if it’s worn correctly, the wearer is clean-shaven, and it’s used for the entire exposure period.
Generally, industry compliance with respirable silica dust standards is good, but we know that workers in primary crusher areas, exploration drilling, and sample preparation in laboratories face the highest risks. In this case, the worker wasn’t part of a health monitoring program, despite the site’s Health Management Plan stating that higher-risk personnel should be included.
A reminder: R.675F requires mine operators
Key takeaways for industry
- Know your hazards – Respirable silica dust is a well-known risk (r34).
- Use the right controls – Designing out or using engineering controls for the hazard of respirable silica dust is the most effective control measure. However, if a hazard can’t be eliminated, PPE may be used (r.36(5)). A disposable respirator isn’t always the best option—Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) offers better protection and more reliability.
- Health monitoring is a must – Workers exposed to respirable silica above the standard must be included in a suitable health monitoring program (r.675F).
