· 1.1.3 15Workplace exposure Silica minerals (SiO 2) occur in either crystalline or non-crystalline (amorphous) forms and are a component of soil, sand, and rocks. Silica minerals are sometimes called "free silica," to distinguish them from other silicates, complex mineral structures containing bound silicon dioxide.

 · Industrial Sand Workers (Silica Exposure) (2) Joint Campaign for Silicosis Prevention A Guide To Working Safely With Silica: If It's Silica, It's Not Just Dust (1997) This guide, a cooperative effort between the Department of Labor and NIOSH, explains how you can protect yourself and others if you work in one of the dozens of industries ...

 · Workers exposed to airborne crystalline silica also are at increased risk for lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and kidney disease. OSHA and NIOSH investigated U.S. worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica in the stone countertop industry following reports from other countries of stone countertop workers ...

1. Introduction. Occupational exposure to crystalline silica dust (SiO 2) has become one of the most common and serious hazards for artificial stone workers.According to recent studies, a large number of workers are exposed to this mineral dust throughout the world, with more than 3.2 million workers in Europe and more than 2 million in the United States [1,2,3].

 · 2-4. Exposure-Response Data for Silicosis Morbidity in Workers Exposed to c-Silica..... 56 2-5. Summary of Exposure-Response Data for Silicosis Morbidity..... 67 2-6. Exposure-Response Data for Mortality Due to Silicosis and Nonmalignant Respiratory Disease

Long-Term Exposure to Silica Dust and Risk of Total and Cause-Specific Mortality in Chinese Workers: A Cohort Study Weihong Chen1,2*, Yuewei Liu1,2, Haijiao Wang1, Eva Hnizdo3, Yi Sun4, Liangping Su5, Xiaokang Zhang6, Shaofan Weng1, Frank Bochmann4, Frank J. Hearl3, Jingqiong Chen1, Tangchun Wu1,2* 1Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, …

to respirable crystalline silica (RCS). Methods: A retrospective cohort mortality study followed all workers to 2001 with at least one year's employment at one of seven UK silica sand producing quarries between 1950 and 1986. Each worker was assigned a job category and cumulative exposure to RCS was estimated using a job-exposure matrix.

 · standards, OSHA estimates that more than 2.3 million workers are potentially exposed to crystalline silica in the workplace, including more than 2 million workers in the construction industry.6 Crystalline silica particles can be 100 times smaller than normal sand particles. Because of their

 · Industrial sand used in certain operations, such as foundry work and hydraulic fracturing (fracking), is also a source of respirable crystalline silica exposure. About 2.3 million people in the U.S. are exposed to silica at work.

 · air samples using devices that measure the amount of silica in a worker's breathing zone. This enables employers to determine which jobs may expose workers to silica and the levels of silica in the air. The OSHA permissible exposure limit for worker exposure to silica is approximately 0.1 mg/m3 for pure quartz silica.

 · NIOSH Publication No. 99-113 (1999) Construction workers who sand drywall joint compound are often exposed to high concentrations of dusts and, in some cases, respirable silica. This publication focuses on two methods of drywall sanding — vacuum sanding systems and pole-sanding, which assist in reducing exposure.

 · For inhaled crystalline silica, studies in silica workers and in animals show that: o Silica can be retained in the lungs for several years, even after exposure has stopped. o Some of the inhaled crystalline silica is absorbed into the body and is found in the kidneys, lymph nodes, . o In workers, silica has been found in the urine.

 · Silica dust travels deep into your lungs. Short-time exposure to large amounts. causes harm. Airborne particles too small to see. Long-time exposure to small amounts causes harm. Found in many construction materials. Effects worse if you also smoke. eLCOSH images. Photo: Uncontrolled dust/silica exposure for operator and any workers in the ...

Worker Information. Crystalline silica is a natural component of stone, soil, and sand. It is also found in other materials such as concrete, mortar, granite, and artificial stone. The most common form of crystalline silica is quartz. If you work around these products, you could be exposed.

 · An estimated 2.3 million U.S. workers are estimated to be exposed to respirable crystalline silica through their jobs. Dr. David Guidot of Emory University School of Medicine says the exposure comes from inhaling very …

 · Construction workers who operate heavy equipment such as excavators, bulldozers, cranes, and backhoes frequently generate large quantities of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust. Exposure to even small amounts of RCS over time can cause silicosis, lung cancer, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other serious diseases.

(% Silica) + 2 Silica dust by worker conducting sand transfer operations. Photo shows sand mover and transfer system. Worker and area samples collected in enclosed but non-filtered cab vehicles (e.g., chemical and blender trucks) were above the REL, even when spending most of the day in the cab. Worker and area samples

 · The National Industrial Sand Association has developed its own guidelines on medical testing. They recommend medical testing every 2 y ears with x-rays performed every 2-4 years based on the age of the worker and duration of exposure (See Appendix III).

Research on long-term exposure Industrial Sand Workers (Silica Exposure) (2) 2002. Study Background. On January 18, 2002, NIOSH sent the results of a study of industrial and workers from 18 different plants to each participant in the study. The study focused on the health effects of exposure to silica.

Steenland and colleagues 26 also followed a cohort of approximately 4,000 workers in the industrial sand industry with quantitative silica exposure measurements, showing excess mortality from acute and chronic kidney disease and increased incidence of ESRD with increasing cumulative silica exposure.

 · OSHA and NIOSH investigated U.S. worker exposure . to respirable crystalline silica in the stone countertop . industry following reports from other countries of . stone countertop workers developing silicosis. 1, 2. In at least some cases from Spain and Israel, workers were . exposed in shops operating without dust suppression,

Several studies have linked silica exposure to renal disease (particularly glomerulonephritis) and rheumatoid arthritis, but these associations are still not widely accepted. Approximately 2 million people are occupationally exposed to silica in the U.S. We studied 4620 workers exposed to silica in the industrial sand industry. We found an excess of mortality from acute renal disease (SMR …

 · 2.1.1 Sand and Gravel Sand has been used for many products throughout human history, but its most common use is in the production of glass. Table 2-1 summarizes other uses for sand and gravel. In some instances, grinding of sand or gravel is required, increasing levels of dust containing respirable crystalline silica (RSC) (IARC 1997). Table 2-1.

 · summaries, industrial sand and gravel or commercial sand and gravel. An estimated 139 million metric tons of silica, in the form of industrial sand and gravel, were produced throughout the world in 2012 (USGS 2014b). The United States (50.7 million metric tons), Italy (16.4 million metric tons), Germany