According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), workers may be exposed to dust containing high levels of respirable crystalline silica (silica) during hydraulic fracturing (fracking).
Silica is a common mineral found in the earth's crust and is a major component of the sand, clay and stone materials used to make everyday products such as concrete, brick and glass.
What are the health hazards of silica?
How are workers exposed to silica on hydraulic fracturing sites?
Dust containing silica can be released when sand is off-loaded from transport trucks and transported through movers, along transfer belts, and into blender hoppers.
Primary sources where dust can be released include:
How do you know if silica is being released into the air?
To determine silica exposure levels, you should collect air samples using devices that measure the amount of silica in a worker's breathing zone. This enables you to determine which jobs may expose workers to silica and the levels of silica in the air.
How can worker exposures to silica dust be reduced?
1) General work practises:
2) Work practises that involve equipment modification:
3) Use respirators when required. If respirators are required, ensure that you have a respiratory protection program that meets federal or provincial requirements. This program must include proper respirator selection, fit testing, medical evaluations, and training. All respirators need to be NIOSH-approved.
4) Inform and train workers on the hazards of silica and other chemicals. Whenever any hazardous material is used in the workplace, employees should be warned through proper signage. This signage must identify precautions that need to be taken to work safely in the presence of the hazardous substance. A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) must be provided to employees for examination.
Contact the Axis Insurance Group for more information on how to implement an OHS-compliant respiratory protection program.