Respirable silica dust exposure of sandblasters and associated workers in steel fabrication yards.

Abstract

An increase in incidence of silicosis has been noticed among sandblasters and associated workers in Louisiana since 1950. The duration of exposure to silica dust before death among sandblasters was observed to be much shorter than in other silicosis-producing industries. To study the dusty conditions, personal exposure of workers to respirable silica dust of high free silica content was determined in two steel fabrication yards. MSA Gravimetric Respirable Dust Samplers were used for dust sampling. Determination of free silica was carried out either by colorimetric or x-ray diffraction techniques. The majority of sandblasters, in spite of wearing various respiratory protective hoods, were exposed to excessive levels of respirable silica dust several times greater than the threshold limit value. Other workers in the yards who performed a variety of jobs and who did not wear any respiratory protective devices were also exposed to excessive levels of silica dust.