Part Six - NIOSH Identifies the 7 Main Sources of Respirable Silica Dust in Hydraulic Fracturing

Part Six – NIOSH Identifies the 7 Main Sources of Respirable Silica Dust in Hydraulic Fracturing In June 2012 OSHA & NIOSH issued a joint “Hazard Alert on ensuring workers in hydraulic fracturing operations have appropriate protections from silica exposure”. The alert revealed that 79% of the 111 oil and gas exploration sites studied by NIOSH showed silica exposure levels greater the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Level (REL). It was further pointed out that “Employers are responsible for providing safe and healthy working conditions…..and must determine which jobs expose workers to silica and take actions to control overexposures and protect workers.” NIOSH identified seven primary silica dust exposure during hydraulic fracturing operations including dust: 1. Ejected from thief hatches on the top of sand movers during hot loading 2. Ejected and pulsated through open fill ports on sand movers during filling 3. Generated by on-site vehicle traffic 4. Released from the transfer belt under the sand movers 5. Created as sand drops into the blender hopper and onto transfer belts 6. Released from operations of sand transfer belts 7. Released from the dragon’s tail at the top end of the sand transfer belt NIOSH found that workers who were “sand movers” and T-belt operators” and workers downwind had the highest silica exposures. Also exposed were blender operators, hydration unit managers, sand coordinators and water tank operators. Further, NIOSH provided a number of recommendations for engineering controls (such as local exhaust ventilation & water misting), administrative systems (to limit the numbers of workers in high silica exposure zones), work practices, training, personal protective equipment and Prevention-through-Design dust control systems for future equipment. For a full copy of the Hazard Alert, click on the link below: https://www.osha.gov/dts/hazardalerts/hydraulic_frac_hazard_alert.html Up Next: Part Seven – In 2013 NIOSH Adds an Eighth Source of Respirable Silica Dust – Workers’ Clothing

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