Controlling risks when bagging silica flour

Background

Silica flour is a ground and powdered form of silica sand. It is used in a range of products, including cement, grouting compounds and paints.

Silica flour contains very high levels of respirable crystalline silica, also known as silica dust. Silica dust can be harmful when breathed in.

Bagging silica flour for transport and sale can release silica dust into the air. Faulty bags can also release silica dust. Other activities might also cause the release of silica dust into the air.

Bagging silica flour is a crystalline silica process. It is also high-risk crystalline silica work (HRCSW). Before performing HRCSW you must complete a hazard control statement. You must perform HRCSW in line with that hazard control statement.

Safety issues

Being exposed to silica dust can cause health conditions such as silicosis. Silicosis is an incurable lung disease. It is progressive and cannot be reversed.

As well as causing silicosis, exposure to silica dust can lead to other diseases. They include:

• lung cancer
• kidney disease
• autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

More information about exposure to silica dust is available from Lung Foundation Australia.

Recommended ways to control risks

As an employer, you must control the risk of exposure to silica dust. To do this you must follow the hierarchy of control. This means you must eliminate the risk so far as is reasonably practicable. If you cannot eliminate the risk, you must reduce the risk so far as is reasonably practicable.

WorkSafe has guidance about using the hierarchy of control to control risks of exposure to silica dust.

The following controls may help you manage risks from bagging silica flour:

• Use automatic machines to fill, seal and transport bags.
• Enclose the parts of the plant that generate silica dust.
• Provide and maintain adequate dust suppression or dust extraction systems.
• Clean work areas regularly with a HEPA filtered Dust Class H vacuum. This will help prevent a build-up of dust on plant, equipment, working surfaces and floors.
• Collect wet slurry with a HEPA filtered Dust Class H vacuum, or mop, squeegee or wet-wipe surfaces.
• Bag and label waste and ensure it is disposed of in line with waste disposal requirements.
• Provide appropriate respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and clothing.
• Provide adequate washing facilities and changing areas
• Provide employees with information, instruction and training on:
  • the health risks associated with HRCSW
  • the proper use of required control measures, including RPE

You will most likely have to use more than one control to control the risk.

Legal duties

As an employer, you have duties under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004. Your duties include responsibilities to do the following, so far as is reasonably practicable:

• Provide and keep a working environment that is safe and without risks to health.
• Provide and maintain plant and systems of work that are safe and without risk to health.
• Ensure people who are not employees are not exposed to risks from your work.
• Consult with employees and health and safety representatives (HSRs) about health and safety.

You must also provide employees with information, instruction, training and supervision. You must meet a standard when fulfilling this duty. You must provide what is necessary for employees to work safely.

As an employer you also have duties under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (OHS Regulations). They include, for example, duties to do the following:

• Ensure employees are not exposed to respirable crystalline silica dust at the workplace at a level above the exposure standard.
• Obtain current safety data or information sheets on or before the first supply of a hazardous substance to the workplace. You must ensure the sheets are accessible to employees. The sheets must include the information listed in Regulation 145(1) of the OHS Regulations. This includes:
  • the proportion of crystalline silica expressed as a percentage
  • name and address of manufacturer or supplier
  • information on handling and exposure controls and engineering controls
• Identify hazardous substances in plant and waste containers.
• Keep a register of hazardous substances.
• Control risks, so far as reasonably practicable, from hazardous substances at the workplace.
• Conduct a risk assessment and identify HRCSW.
• Complete and keep written records of HRCSW. You must keep records accessible for affected employees and for HSRs.
• Prepare, review, revise if necessary and keep crystalline silica hazard control statements.
• Provide information about HRCSW to job applicants.
• Provide information instruction and training to employees likely to be exposed to HRCSW.
• Carry out atmospheric monitoring, also known as air monitoring. You must perform air monitoring if:
  • you are not sure if employees are exposed to levels of silica dust above the exposure standard
  • you cannot work out if there is a risk to employee health without air monitoring. Take the duration of the work into account when you assess the risk to health. Also take into account the exposure and control measures you have in place.
• Monitor the health of employees likely to be affected by exposure to crystalline silica. A registered medical practitioner must perform the monitoring.