Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
RCS exposure and control measures for artificial stone work
Dublin Core
Title
Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
RCS exposure and control measures for artificial stone work
RCS exposure and control measures for artificial stone work
Subject
RCS exposure,control measures,artificial stone work
Description
Introduction: Recent outbreaks of silicosis among artificial stone workers have drawn attention to potentially high exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) during machining of these materials. Wet methods, though strongly recommended, may be insufficient to protect workers operating hands-on tools on silica-rich stone. This study examined the effectiveness of combined wet methods and ventilation controls during stone countertop fabrication. Materials and Methods: Personal breathing zone sampling for respirable dust was conducted on workers during routine wet fabrication activities with handheld tools, such as polishing,grinding, drilling, and cutting, with and without the use of a crossdraft-type mobile particulate capture booth.
Results: In task-specific sampling, use of the mobile particulate capture booth was found to reduce mean RCS exposure by about 50% (p1⁄40.059) during a wet polishing task and significantly reduced the variance of RCS. During full-shift or partial-shift sampling, when exposure was averaged over multiple wet finishing tasks and ancillary activities, use of the booth resulted in smaller, nonsignificant reductions in the central tendency of the respirable dust exposure and significant reduction in the variance. Time- weighted average RCS exposures ranged from <4-85 mg/m3 with the booth off and <5-37 mg/m3 with the booth on.
Conclusions: Use of a particulate capture booth as an adjuvant to wet methods may further control exposure to stone dust during countertop fabrication by constraining the variability of exposures and possibly reducing the central tendency of the exposure distribution.
Results: In task-specific sampling, use of the mobile particulate capture booth was found to reduce mean RCS exposure by about 50% (p1⁄40.059) during a wet polishing task and significantly reduced the variance of RCS. During full-shift or partial-shift sampling, when exposure was averaged over multiple wet finishing tasks and ancillary activities, use of the booth resulted in smaller, nonsignificant reductions in the central tendency of the respirable dust exposure and significant reduction in the variance. Time- weighted average RCS exposures ranged from <4-85 mg/m3 with the booth off and <5-37 mg/m3 with the booth on.
Conclusions: Use of a particulate capture booth as an adjuvant to wet methods may further control exposure to stone dust during countertop fabrication by constraining the variability of exposures and possibly reducing the central tendency of the exposure distribution.
Creator
Margaret Philips
Publisher
Elsevier Korea LLC
Date
January 2022
Contributor
Sri Wahyuni
Format
PDF
Language
English
Type
Text
Coverage
Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
Files
Citation
Margaret Philips, “Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
RCS exposure and control measures for artificial stone work,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 8, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2532.
RCS exposure and control measures for artificial stone work,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 8, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2532.