A Review of Airborne Silica Concentrations

Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center 

Recent global outbreaks of accelerated silicosis within the stone countertop fabrication industry have drawn the attention of the regulatory, scientific and OEHS communities concerned with the identification and control of exposures to respirable crystalline silica (RCS). The increasing demand and use of engineered stone (ES) countertops since the early 2000s has coincided with the increased incidence of accelerated silicosis among countertop fabricators who process ES. Unlike natural stone, which generally contains 2 to 50% crystalline silica, ES often comprises >90% crystalline silica. While RCS is a recognized hazard among stone workers, prior to the 2010s, no published study had evaluated the exposure potential to RCS among ES fabrication workers. However, RCS exposure concentration data among this worker population have become increasingly available. The present study includes a review of all publicly available measured RCS concentration data associated with stone fabrication work, an evaluation of utilized engineering controls, and trend analysis on the impact of engineering controls on airborne concentrations. This review and analysis aggregate limited but critical data that can assist OEHS professionals with the selection and implementation of the most effective controls for specific fabrication tasks to protect worker health, as well as identify gaps where more data are necessary to better inform worker health and safety in the stone countertop fabrication industry.

A. Shen, Insight Exposure & Risk Sciences Group, Boulder, CO, USA
M. Ghosh, Insight Exposure & Risk Sciences Group, Boulder, CO, USA 

None 

Aerosol and airborne particulate monitoring

Asbestos, lead, and dust

Exposure Assessment