WHAT IS SILICA?Silicon (Si) is naturally occurring and the second most common element in the Earths crust. The compound silica, also known as silicon dioxide (SiO2), is formed from silicon and oxygen atoms. Since oxygen and silicon makeup about 75% of the Earths crust, the compound silica is very common. It is found in many rocks, such as granite, sandstone and slate as well as in sand and soil. The most common type of crystalline silica is quartz. WHERE IS SILICA USED?Silica is very commonly used in construction and at various concentrations in bricks, blocks, tiles, slabs, cement and concrete. Silica dust is found in many products in our day- to-day lives such as glass, composite stone, ceramics, semi-conductors and much more. Examples of work activities that can generate respirable silica dust particles include:
WHAT IS SILICA DUST?Silica dust is generated in workplace mechanical processes such as crushing, cutting, drilling, grinding, sawing or polishing of natural stone or man-made products that contain silica. Some dust particles can be so small that they are not visible; these are commonly referred to as respirable particles. Respirable silica dust particles are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and can cause irreversible lung damage. The non-crystalline or amorphous forms of silica do not cause this kind of lung damage. WHAT IS SILICOSIS?Silicosis is a form of occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust, and is marked by inflammation and scarring in the form of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs. Silicosis (particularly the acute form) is characterised by shortness of breath, cough, fever, and cyanosis (bluish skin) CERAMIC TILES AND SILICA DUSTUnlike many other engineered products, ceramic tiles are made from a combination of clays, feldspars and other natural occurring minerals, mixed and grinded in water and fired in a high temperature kiln. As a final inert product they only contain a fraction of sintered crystalline silica. Tile products are odorless, stable, non-flammable, does not release any hazardous chemical and are considered as non- hazardous to health under normal conditions of use. HANDLING AND STORAGETiles are inert and pose no immediate hazard to health in storage, handling or insitu (final use) CUTTING, GRINDING, CRUSHING, DEMOLITION REMOVAL WORKDust containing crystalline silica is produced by dry mechanical cutting and grinding of tiles during installation or by operations such as demolition / removal projects. In the event of cutting grinding, crushing or removing tiles avoid breathing dust by using equipment with integral dust collection and or appropriate exhaust ventilation. Use approved respirators whenever engineering controls are not effective to keep the dust, and particularly the crystalline silica dust, below the workplace exposure standards for airborne contaminants limits. Wet cutting methods are recommended. Other areas of installation that may lead to airborne dust that needs consideration are substrate preparation and fixing material mixing. EFFECTIVE CONTROLSAll Australian workplaces must follow work health and safety laws, which vary from state to state. However the duty of care for employers and responsibilities of workers across Australia is similar.
Workers should always be involved in the process to correctly identify hazards and control measures that suit the workplace and task. If suitable control measures are not in place, anyone working around silica dust has an increased risk of developing silicosis. Workers must be given information and training on:
Credit: Australian Tile Council
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