Quote:
Originally Posted by Bushrat
You could lay on a pile of silica sand for weeks and it won't hurt you.
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I am probably going to get some more criticism with this one too - no surprise with that either
Everyone is free to choose how they interpret this. Careful handling is still required for a 50lb bag. Awareness with safe handling, is my only point :
True , silica sand is inert when in a sealed bag or a pile of it, left undisturbed. The "undisturbed" part is the important. In agreement, the process of sand blasting creates silica dust. It is also the handling of the silica sand that can also generate dust in the air. A 50lb bag is a typical size, a leaking bag (not the bench rest bag) needs to be swept up. NIOSH identified seven primary sources of silica dust exposure back in 2016:
https://www.osha.gov/dts/hazardalert...ard_alert.html
Transporting, moving, and refilling silica sand into and through sand movers, along transfer belts, and into blender hoppers can release dusts containing silica into the air. Workers can be exposed if they breathe the dust into their lungs.
Enviro-grit :
Do not rely on sight to determine if dust is in the air. Contaminants may be in the air without a visible dust cloud. If dust cannot be kept below permissible limits, wear a high efficiency respirator approved for abrasive dust.
Silica Abrasive, 30-50:
Workers in the area, who are not exposed to the dust from blasting (for example, pouring bags of media into a hopper) must wear a
NIOSH N-95 particulate respirator, eye protection, and protective gloves/clothing when handling product.