Occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica (also known as silica dust or quartz dust) cause adverse health effects, including silicosis (acute silicosis, accelerated silicosis, simple chronic silicosis, progressive massive fibrosis), nonmalignant respiratory diseases (e.g., emphysema and chronic bronchitis), lung cancer, and kidney disease. Each of these effects is chronic, irreversible, and potentially disabling or fatal.
On April 18, 2024, MSHA issued its final rule, Lowering Miners’ Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica and Improving Respiratory Protection, to reduce miner exposures to respirable crystalline silica and improve respiratory protection for all airborne hazards. The final rule:
The final rule will take effect on June 17, 2024. Coal mine operators have 12 months to come into compliance with the final rule’s requirements while MNM mine operators have 24 months to come into compliance (including medical surveillance).
Breaking down all types and sizes of rocks in quarrying, through crushing and screening processes generate high levels of respirable dust. When the rocks are crushed and then screened, large volumes of both visible and invisible dust becomes airborne and travels across the entire quarry site, presenting a risk for all workers.Â
As in mining, quarrying also involves a large amount of drilling, blasting and other methods to break down rocks and spaces for processing and extracting. These processes lead to rocks, clay and other natural materials becoming very small and making them airborne and easily inhaled, leading to severe health risks for workers.Â
Once all materials have been extracted and processed, they’re stored in designated areas after collection. Here, natural materials are stored in stockpiles, where they grind against other materials and minerals, creating more and more respirable dust. When these minerals are used, the settled dust becomes disturbed and airborne.Â
Maintenance of all types of machinery, vehicles and minerals, such as rock and sand in quarrying can generate respirable dust. If dust from screening, drilling and even in stockpiles isn’t correctly maintained it becomes dormant. Poor maintenance and handling processes like dry sweeping can spread dust, presenting health issues.Â
Heavy-duty vehicles used in quarrying such as haul trucks and conveyors often involve moving large volumes of natural minerals which have been processed and are fine and small in size. This can present risk of airborne dust across all areas of the site, as well as other dust which may be trapped in wheels and cabs of the vehicle.Â
Arguably the most well-known and common risk associated with exposure to hazardous dusts in the workplace relate to occupational lung diseases. Diseases such as Silicosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Black Lung Disease and occupational lung cancer all are associated with dust inhalation in the workplace.Â
Whilst long-term exposure to breathing in dust can lead to lung diseases, initial, short-term exposure to hazardous dusts can lead to respiratory illness and irritation. Breathing in dust such as Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) and wood dust can cause serious respiratory diseases; the NHS claim it’s the third biggest cause of death in England.Â
Exposure to breathing in hazardous dust can lead to cardiovascular diseases and other heart and blood vessel issues. Dust and hazardous particulates can easily travel through your bloodstream and deep into your lungs, damaging your blood vessels in the process. This can increase blood pressure and make it more likely to give you blood clots.Â
The British Thoracic Society reports that occupational asthma is responsible for roughly 1/6 cases of adult-onset asthma. Occupational asthma can be caused by various types of dust in multiple different industries, such as flour dust, wood dust, grain dust and various fumes from metals. Â
There have been examples of various other health concerns relating to workplace exposure to hazardous dust. Skin, eye and nose irritation, as well as some rare examples of kidney disease have all been linked to examples where workers have failed to protect themselves against hazardous dust.Â
