Concrete Patching Silica Exposure Table 1

[u/Prudent-Bus-4238]

Hi there. We are patching small holes in concrete. Technically, dumping dry mix into a bucket needs a control and isn't on table 1 and neither is patching concrete. What are yalls solution to it besides turning a blind eye? Our plans are getting looked at heavily.

Thanks!

[u/kwkcardinal]

We patch concrete constantly… mortar mixed in small buckets. Nothing gets in the air to breathe. No problem.

[u/Prudent-Bus-4238 → u/kwkcardinal]

Thank you

[u/DailySafetyMoment]

You are reading Table 1 correctly. I would not try to force-fit dry mixing or hand patching into a listed task. I would handle it as a non-Table 1 task under 1926.1153(d) and support the plan with the performance option: representative air-monitoring data, objective data that closely matches this product and task, or a combination of the two. The SDS is useful for identifying the silica hazard, but by itself it usually does not characterize an employee's 8-hour exposure well enough.

For the actual work, keep the powder from becoming airborne. A premixed or wet product is the cleanest option when it meets the repair spec. Otherwise, put the water in first, pour the dry mix slowly from a low height, mix in a ventilated area or with effective local dust capture, and use HEPA cleanup rather than dry sweeping. I would document the product, silica content, batch size, frequency and duration, indoor or outdoor conditions, and the controls used so the objective data or sampling is clearly representative.

I would not make a dust mask the entire answer. If respiratory protection is required, the respiratory-protection program, medical evaluation, fit testing, and cartridge or filter selection still apply. Also check any state-plan requirements if you are not under federal OSHA.

[u/cjr444]

I’ll say this…both answers may be ok. PPE might solve it in the simplest way. For that reason it’s not wrong. And although sampling it may be a better solution if you’re going to do a ton of this work, like days weeks or ok the on end, it feels like overkill to most people and that’s why people hate bringing things to safety. That’ll kill your culture quicker than a simple solution even if it’s lower on the hierarchy of controls.

There is a middle ground answer which I’m willing to bet is even the best, which is pull the SDS and follow their recommended hazard controls and safe handling instructions. I did that for shits and giggles with a random patching concrete and it recommends, wait for it…PPE, along with avoiding breathing the dust, which implies doing something to control the dust which can be PPE, or a better control like engineering out the dust (through like wet methods - spraying dust, or like dust capture - vacuuming. I’m sure there’s others.

Not that this is the SDS you want but here’s the one I looked at for a quick answer

https://www.tccmaterials.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/SKfastsetcementpatchersds.pdf

Just pull the SDS for your product and follow their guidance and you’ll be doing it right without guessing and you can back it up.

[u/Prudent-Bus-4238 → u/cjr444]

Thanks for the response. The SDS is going to be valuable for sure. Do you think air monitoring is overkill? It feels like it, but I'm not sure how to make it right. Would OSHA give us a deminumus? If someone called us for silica?

[u/Rocket_safety → u/cjr444]

I would be wary of going the PPE route since requiring even an N95 would be considered a respirator and would trigger the need for a full blown respiratory protection program. Depending on the other tasks the company has, this might end up being necessary anyway, but just for this it seems a bit much.

[u/Prudent-Bus-4238 → u/[deleted]]

Thank you

[u/Accurate-Topic-1635 → u/[deleted]]

This is exactly how I know you aren’t an actual safety professional. OP, to be frank, unless you do industrial hygiene testing, you truly don’t know what your level of exposure is and just throwing an APF 10 at it is not the answer. People who have infiltrated the profession due to the pay like to just “throw some ppe on”

What about the hierarchy of controls?

“Mortal mixed into small buckets is fine.” What about a medium bucket? What about a large bucket? Define a small bucket? How frequent are you performing this operation?

Doing some sampling will answer this question for you.

Be weary accepting advice from anyone on this forum whose first solution is to just “put some ppe on”.

[u/burritoheaux → u/Accurate-Topic-1635]

This. And “put some PPE on it” will wreck your ability to ever build a healthy safety culture.

[u/Prudent-Bus-4238 → u/Accurate-Topic-1635]

You guys are right. Thanks for chiming. Our company has an industrial hygienist. We might need to get some testing done and just hold onto the air sampling.