Respirable Crystalline Silica
Awareness Training for UAW-GM
Skilled Trades Workers
Live Values that Return People Home Safely
Every Person. Every Site. Every Day
Course Contents
Overview of UAW-GM WSS Technical Standard on
Respirable Crystalline Silica
What is Respirable Crystalline Silica?
Who is at risk of exposure?
GM Respirable Silica OEL & OSHA PEL
Health Effects from Inhaling Respirable Silica Particles
GM Skilled Trades Non-Foundry Tasks with Potential Silica
Exposures
Silica Exposure Control Plan for GM Skilled Trades Non-
Foundry Tasks with Potential Silica Exposures
Course Contents
Silica Exposure Samples for Skilled Trades Workers
Skilled Trades Silica Tasks to be Sampled
Exposure Controls for Tasks ≥ GM OEL of 0.025 mg/m3
Engineering Controls –
Drilling/Sawing into Solids Containing Silica Particles
Cleaning Up Silica-Containing Dust/Debris
Silica Exposure Controls - Silica OSHA Regulated Areas
GM Silica Medical Surveillance Exams
Skilled Trades Silica TISs
UAW-GM WSS Technical Standard 13-10
Respirable Crystalline Silica Assessment &
Control
Establish minimum requirements for a Respirable
Crystalline Silica Exposure Control Plan
Identify Skilled Trades non-foundry tasks with potential
exposures to respirable crystalline silica
Assess silica exposure risks
Control silica exposure sources
Provide acceptable silica dust/debris housekeeping
measures
What is Respirable Crystalline Silica?
Silicon Dioxide 2nd Most common Major component of
crystals (SiO2) are mineral in Earth’s sand, granite &
mineral ores
tiny, hard, crust (27.7%)
translucent &
Respirable silica Particles are 100
colorless particles are very Times smaller than
small & invisible to
3 Main Forms naked eye (<4 µg) sand found at
Quartz (most beaches
common),
Cristobalite &
Tridymite
Who Is at Risk?
OSHA estimates 2.3 Simply being near sand
million individuals in or other silica-
the U.S. are exposed
containing materials is
to silica at work not hazardous
Silica hazard exists
when activities create
respirable silica dust
which is then released
into the air & inhaled in
sufficient quantities
Who Is at Risk?
Any occupation involving the
following could result in
respirable silica exposure
Drilling, cutting, or
handling of concrete,
brick, sand or rock
Sweeping up sand/silica
debris
Opening bags of dry
products containing silica
GM Respirable Silica OEL & OSHA PEL
OSHA Legal Permissible GM Occupational
Exposure Limit (PEL)
Exposure Limit (OEL)
0.05 mg/m3, as an 8-hour 0.025 mg/m3, as 8-
time-weighted average air
hour TWA
concentration (TWA)
Action Level – 50%
of OEL or PEL
• Exposure ≥AL requires action to reduce
silica exposures to prevent exposures
• ≥OEL or ≥PEL
Health Effects from Inhaling Silicosis - incurable
Respirable Silica Particles scarring of the lungs
which can lead to
Silicotic vs Normal Lung disability & death
Typically occurs
after 15-20 years of
silica exposure
Makes lungs hard &
stiff, lose their
elasticity
Greatly reduces
lungs ability for
O2/CO2 exchange
Makes it difficult &
painful to breathe
There is no cure for
silicosis
Health Effects from
Inhaling Respirable Silica
Particles
Lung Cancer
Chronic obstruction
pulmonary disease (COPD)
Blocks movement of air into
& out of the lungs
Includes emphysema,
chronic bronchitis, & chronic
airway obstruction
Kidney disease, such as kidney
failure
UAW-GM Skilled Trades Non-Foundry
Tasks with Potential Silica Exposure
Key to preventing silica
diseases is to prevent
silica-containing dust
from entering the air
GM Skilled Trades Non-Foundry
Tasks with Potential Silica
Exposure
Never rely on the dust
you see in the air to
determine your silica
exposure level
GM Skilled Trades Non-
Foundry Tasks with
Potential Silica Exposure
Action Level (AL)
concentrations of respirable
silica, 0.0125 mg/m3, may be
in the air without seeing a
visible dust cloud
Respirable silica dust is not
visible to the naked eye
Respirable size particles
are very small & invisible to
the naked eye - <4 µm
GM Skilled Trades Non-Foundry Tasks
with Potential Silica Exposure
One gram of respirable crystalline
silica sand (equivalent to contents
of an artificial sweetener packet)
would generate a worker exposure
level above the OSHA PEL (0.050
mg/m3) when released into the air
space the size of a football field 13
feet above the field
Silica Exposure Control Plan for GM Skilled
Trades Non-Foundry Tasks with Potential
Silica Exposures
Identify Skilled Trades Worker Similar Exposure
Groups (SEGs) tasks with potential respirable silica
exposures
Regional IHs will work with UAW IHTs to develop &
implement a respirable silica personal air sampling
plan for skilled trades workers during tasks
generating airborne respirable silica particles
Silica Exposure Samples for Skilled
Trades Workers
Collect personal air samples to
measure risks of workers being
exposed to silica ≥GM Action Level
(AL) of 0.0125 mg/m3
Control silica exposures for workers
exposed ≥GM OEL of 0.025 mg/m3 to a
level ≤GM AL 0.0125 mg/m3
Skilled Trades Silica Tasks to be Sampled
Cutting/Drilling/Anchoring
into Concrete/Ceramic/Grout
Sand/Concrete Dust
Cleanup
Concrete/Brick/Wallboard
Tear Out Activities
Abrasive Sanding/Scarifying
Concrete Floors
Skilled Trades Silica
Tasks to be Sampled
Installation of Concrete Blocks
Jackhammering into Concrete
Blocks/Bricks/Floors
Opening bags containing dry silica-
containing materials
Cleaning up silica debris
Any other task that would create a
dust cloud or disturb any silica-
containing materials
Exposure Implement Engineering, Work Practice,
Controls for Housekeeping & PPE Controls
Tasks Must maintain exposures between GM AL
≥GM OEL of of 0.0125 mg/m3 & <GM OEL of
0.025mg/m3 0.025 mg/m3
When we don’t know exposure levels (i.e. too
short a time to measure) or exposure controls do
not lower levels, must supplement them with
respiratory protection with P100 (HEPA) filters
Engineering Must use control methods to
Controls for minimize/eliminate airborne respirable silica
dust during drilling/sawing into solid
Drilling or structures containing silica particles, such
Sawing into as concrete floors, concrete pads, cement
blocks, bricks. etc.
Solids
Containing Use saws & drills that have continuous water
feeds when in operation
Silica
Particles Use saws & drilla with a protective shroud
(hood) accompanied by a dust
collection/HEPA P100 filter attachment
Cleaning Up Silica-
Containing Dust or Debris
Must be cleaned up using
either a vacuum with HEPA
filtration (P100) or a wet
method
Dry cleaning is prohibited - Air
wands, brooms, shoveling, or
any tool that can create a "dust
cloud" cannot be used
Silica Exposure Areas with Silica temporary
Controls - exposures ≥0.05 regulated areas
used for short-
OSHA Silica mg/m3 (OSHA
Regulated Areas PEL) must be time skilled
classified as an trades work
OSHA Silica
Regulated Areas
Entrances & Access
accesses must restricted to
be posted with Authorized
warning signs Personnel only
OSHA Silica Regulated
Areas
GM/OSHA require all
entrants to wear a
NIOSH-approved
filtering facepiece or
half/full face respirator
with P100 filters
Workers may use a
hooded PAPR with P100
filters
GM Silica Available for each worker Only If
Medical Exposed to respirable crystalline
Surveillance silica ≥GM OEL of 0.025 mg/m3 for
Exams ≥30 days/year
Exams must follow the GM Health
Services MED-6.6 Respirable
Crystalline Silica Exam (Silica
Exam)
Exam purpose is to find disease or
increased sensitivity to silica
exposure
Skilled Trades 4 TISs developed by Team of
Silica Task GM Global Regional
Information Industrial Hygienists
Sheets (TISs) To be distributed to all GM
Sites
Skilled Trades TISs for Each of the Following
Silica Task Skilled Trades Tasks
Information
Drilling/Sawing/Grinding solid
Sheets (TISs) structures containing silica
Opening/pouring containers of
dry material containing silica
Cleaning up respirable crystalline
silica-containing dust/debris
Removal of all filter types on any
piece of equipment (i.e. vacuum,
drill, saw, baghouse, dust
collector) used to control/capture
respirable silica-containing dust
Questions?