|
Document Reference |
RAMSPROZONE-CSECP-001 |
|
Revision / Date |
Rev.
01 | March 2026 |
|
Classification |
CONTROLLED
— HSE Department |
|
Prepared By |
[Lead
HSE Engineer] |
|
Reviewed By |
[HSE
Manager] |
|
Approved By |
[QHSE
Director] |
|
Applicable Standards |
ISO
45001:2018 | ISO 14001:2015 | ISO 45003:2021 | IEC 62133-2 | RoHS 2011/65/EU
| WEEE 2012/19/EU | REACH 1907/2006 | SEMI S2 | OSHA 29 CFR 1910 |
|
Geographic Scope |
International
— applicable at all electronics manufacturing facilities globally. Local
regulatory supplements are required where national law is more stringent. |
Table of Contents
RAMSPROZONE Crystalline Silica
Exposure Control Practice
1.3 Exposure Limits and Routes
2.1 Request Past Sampling Results
from Client
2.4 Industrial Hygiene Monitoring
Methods
This practice identifies
the requirements for minimizing exposure to silica.
This practice includes
the following major sections:
- General Requirements
- Monitoring
- HSE Support to Line Management
- Training
- Work Practices
This practice applies to
work activities and employees under the control of RAMSPROZONE and
its contractors.
Action Level (AL) – Refers to an
exposure one half the allowable limit (TLV-TWA).
Respirable Fraction – In an industrial
hygiene (IH) sample, refers to those particles between 2 and 5 micrometers in
diameter that are small enough to penetrate the nose and upper respiratory
system and be deposited deep into the lungs. Particles that penetrate deeply
into the respiratory system are generally beyond the ability of the body's
natural clearance mechanisms of cilia and mucous, and are more likely to be
retained.
Threshold Limit Value –
Time-Weighted Average (TLV-TWA) – The TWA concentration for a conventional 8‑hour
workday and a 40‑hour workweek, to which it is believed that nearly all workers
may be repeatedly exposed, day after day, without adverse effect.
Threshold Limit Value –
Short-Term Exposure Limit (TLV-STEL) – The concentration to which it is believed that
workers can be exposed continuously for a short period of time without
suffering from irritation, chronic or irreversible tissue damage, or narcosis
of sufficient degree to increase the likelihood of accidental injury, impair
self-rescue, or materially reduce work efficiency, and provided that the daily
TLV-TWA is not exceeded. A STEL is a 15‑minute TWA exposure that should not be
exceeded at any time during a workday even if the 8‑hour TWA is within the TLV-TWA.
Work conducted in/around
the following industries/activities may result in exposure to employees:
- Sand storms (naturally occurring)
- Mining (cutting, blasting, or
drilling through sandstone and granite)
- Foundry work (grinding, moldings,
shakeout, core room)
- Ceramics, clay, and pottery
- Stone cutting (sawing, abrasive
blasting, chipping, grinding)
- Glass manufacturing
- Dirt work or vehicular traffic on
dirt roads
- Abrasive blasting
- Railroad (setting and laying
track)
- Manufacturing and use of
abrasives
- Manufacturing of soaps
- Demolition, removal, or salvage
of structures where materials containing silica are present
- Hand- or machine-mixing materials
to create concrete or grout
- Construction (sandblasting/rock
drilling/masonry work/jack hammering/tunneling)
- New construction, alteration,
repair, or renovation of structures and substrates containing silica
The
industries/activities listed above are examples. The project HSE Representative
will identify the areas or operations involving the disturbance of silica that
are likely to generate visible amounts of silica. The identified areas or
operations will be discussed as part of the new hire orientation, hazard
communication, and, if required, silica exposure training courses for
employees.
Additionally, activities
conducted using silica/silica-containing products—or that result in visible
airborne silica—will be identified on the Job Safety Analysis (JSA), Form 0000000,
or the Safety Task Analysis (STA), Form 0000000, with controls
established.
Silica occurs as a
natural component of many materials in the construction and general industry.
Crystalline silica is always present in substantial quantities in sand,
sandstone, and granite. Exposure over a long period of time leads to fibrosis
of the lung tissues with a subsequent loss of lung tissue — this is called
silicosis. Employees affected by silicosis usually suffer from shortness of
breath and find it difficult to walk short distances on stairs. Silicosis is
incurable. Crystalline silica is a recognized human carcinogen.
Physical Data
|
Property |
Value |
|
Appearance |
White powder |
|
Odor |
None |
|
Odor Threshold |
N/A |
|
Explosive Limits |
N/A |
|
Melting Point |
3110 °F (1710 °C) |
|
Vapor Pressure |
N/A |
|
Vapor Density |
N/A |
|
Ignition Temperature |
Nonflammable |
Acute
|
Effect |
Description |
|
Irritant |
Mild |
|
Sensitization |
Unlikely |
|
Eye Effects |
Low concentrations may cause
irritation to the lining of the eye. Repeated exposure to low concentrations
is reported to cause inflammation of the eye tissues, sensitivity to light,
tearing, pain, and blurred vision. |
|
Skin Effects |
May irritate sensitive skin. |
|
Ingestion Effects |
Ingestion is unlikely. |
|
Inhalation Effects |
An acute form of silicosis has
occurred in a few workers exposed to very high concentrations of silica over
periods of as little as a few weeks. The history is one of progressive
shortness of breath, fever, cough, and weight loss. |
Chronic
|
Health Effect |
Status |
|
Teratogen (may cause birth defects) |
No |
|
Reproductive Hazard |
No |
|
Mutagen (may cause damage to DNA) |
No |
|
Synergistic Effects (more toxic when
mixed with other chemicals) |
None reported |
|
Carcinogenicity |
NTP: Yes |
|
Medical Conditions Aggravated by
Exposure |
Respiratory and heart |
Chronic silicosis, the
most common form of the disease, may go undetected for years in the early
stages; in fact, a chest X‑ray may not reveal an abnormality until after 15 or
20 years of exposure. The body's ability to fight infections may be overwhelmed
by silica dust in lungs, making workers more susceptible to certain illnesses
such as tuberculosis. As silicosis progresses, one or more of the following
symptoms may develop:
- Shortness of breath following
physical exertion
- Severe cough
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Chest pains
- Fever
Inhalation of quartz is
classified as a human carcinogen.
First Aid
|
Exposure |
Action |
|
Skin/Eyes |
Flush with clean,
low-pressure water for 5–15 minutes. |
|
Severe inhalation |
Remove from
contaminated area immediately. Give oxygen. If not breathing, give artificial
respiration. Do not attempt to rescue unless wearing self-contained
breathing apparatus. |
1.3 Exposure Limits and Routes
A. Action Level
0.015 mg/m³ respirable
fraction of crystalline silica.
B. Exposure Limits
0.025 mg/m³ respirable
fraction of crystalline silica (ACGIH TLV).
C. Routes of Entry
|
Route |
Permitted? |
|
Skin Contact |
Yes |
|
Skin Absorption |
No |
|
Eye Contact |
Yes |
|
Inhalation |
Yes |
|
Ingestion |
Unlikely |
Where exposure limits
are likely to be exceeded, a "silica compliance plan" or a JSA must
be developed. The plan will:
- Address the scope of work
activities.
- Provide an initial exposure
assessment.
- Prescribe exposure controls (such
as water sprays, exhaust ventilation, working inside enclosures with
filtered air supplies), air-monitoring requirements, work practices, dust
control measures, personal protective equipment, and additional
information/requirements as appropriate.
Results of air or bulk
sampling, calculations of potential silica exposure, and other data that
demonstrate compliance with this practice are attached to the plan/JSA.
2.1 Request Past Sampling Results from Client
Before working in
operating facilities or areas with known sources of silica, each project will
formally request information from the client on past IH, air quality, or other
sample results that may be used to indicate the levels of exposure likely to be
encountered by RAMSPROZONE and contractor employees. This
request will be in writing and documented in accordance with the project's
document control procedures. The written request and any response will become
part of the project records and will be retained in accordance with
Practice 0000000, Records Management and Document Control.
Notification of
monitoring results will be in accordance with Practice 0000000,
Hazard Communications.
The monitoring process
may be observed by employees whom the monitoring affects.
2.4 Industrial Hygiene Monitoring Methods
The common IH monitoring
methods for silica are NIOSH laboratory analysis methods (as appropriate) 7500,
7501, 7601, 7602, 7603
(http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nmam/pdfs/7500.pdf)
Monitoring results will
be sent to the Corporate IH Manager in accordance with the schedule in
Practice 0000000, Industrial Hygiene Program Requirements.
HSE SUPPORT TO LINE MANAGEMENT
The HSE Representative,
with support from the Corporate IH Manager, will perform the following:
- As part of the JSA and other
hazard evaluation processes, identify and evaluate crystalline silica
hazards and potential exposures during the planning and conduct of work.
- Review and approve the silica
compliance plan or JSA.
- As necessary, quantitatively
determine the presence of silica in materials, substrates, and other
media. This may involve review of material safety data sheets (MSDSs), or
the collection of samples (bulk and/or airborne) for analysis by a
qualified laboratory.
- Provide results of silica survey
to management/supervision, along with information regarding hazard
potential and control measures. As appropriate, make recommendations to
management/supervision to maintain, modify, upgrade, or downgrade controls
accordingly.
- Take prompt corrective measures
to eliminate hazards; such as recommending to management/supervision to
implement or modify engineering, administrative, work practice, and
personal protection (including respiratory protection) controls.
- Conduct an exposure assessment,
as appropriate.
- In evaluating silica hazards and
specifying controls for an operation, (a) use the best available
historical exposure monitoring data generated for other similar operations
or activities, (b) use objective data, and/or (c) plan and conduct initial
monitoring to determine exposures and assess the effectiveness of hazard
controls.
- Determine exposure to crystalline
silica periodically as work is conducted.
- Maintain effective records of
jobs monitored, so that a historical database can be used to specify
controls and eliminate unnecessary and redundant monitoring for future
activities.
- Support project
management/supervision in responding to exposures above allowable limits
when workers were not adequately protected.
- As appropriate, participate in
prejob and daily worker briefings regarding task-specific crystalline
silica hazards and controls, the silica compliance plan/JSA, work
practices, and other applicable information, including any changes that
are made to controls or to the silica compliance plan/JSA.
Training will be
conducted in accordance with Practice 0000000, Hazard
Communication, for employees who will or may be exposed to silica at/above the
AL on any day.
The following work
practices will be implemented whenever activities that disturb materials
containing more than 0.1 percent crystalline silica by weight are conducted:
- A JSA will be developed in
accordance with Practice 0000000, Pre‑Task Planning/Risk
Analysis, to determine and document in writing those exposure control
measures determined to be needed. The JSA must be maintained with the
project records in accordance with Practice 0000000, Records
Management and Document Control.
- Exposed surfaces will be
maintained as free as practicable of silica-containing dust.
- Surfaces will not be blow-cleaned
with compressed air or other forced air (such as leaf blowers).
- Wet sweeping or vacuuming will be
used to clean areas. If vacuuming is used for cleaning, the exhaust air
will be properly filtered to prevent release of airborne silica back into
the workroom – such as by using a HEPA-filtered vacuum.
- Clothes contaminated with silica
will not be blown or shaken to remove dust.
- Carcinogen warnings will be
placed on containers of materials containing more than 0.1 percent
crystalline silica by weight. An intact pallet load of bricks while still
banded or packaged as it was received is considered a container.
- RAMSPROZONE- or contractor-owned/operated
vehicles hauling shipments of crushed stone off site must include hazard
warnings concerning the carcinogenicity of crystalline silica on their
shipping papers or bills of lading.
|
Jurisdiction |
Resource |
|
Australian
Government |
Safety and Compensation Council; List of National Codes of
Practice |
|
European Union |
European
Agency for Safety and Health at Work |
|
United Kingdom |
Construction
Regulations 2007 |
|
United States |
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