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Part One – Hazard Alert of Worker Exposure to Silica Issued by OSHA/NIOSH

Fri, 02/14/2014 - 11:47 -- Donny Beaver

Comprehensive Guide to Minimizing Respirable Silica Dust Exposure in Hydraulic Fracturing 

Part One – Hazard Alert of Worker Exposure to Silica Issued by OSHA/NIOSH 

On May 23, 2012 NIOSH published its report, “Worker Exposure to Crystalline Silica in Hydraulic Fracturing” and on June 21, 2012, OSHA joined NIOSH to issue a joint “hazard alert on ensuring workers in hydraulic fracturing operations have appropriate protections from silica exposure.”  The hazard alert revealed that (i) 79% of the 111 oil and gas exploration sites studied by NIOSH showed silica exposures greater than the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Level (REL); (ii) 31% of all samples showed silica exposures 10 or more times the REL. The OSHA/NIOSH Hazard Alert points out that, “Employers are responsible for providing safe and healthy working conditions for their workers.  Employers must determine which jobs expose workers to silica and take actions to control overexposures and protect workers.  A combination of engineering controls, work practices, protective equipment, and product substitutions, where feasible, along with worker training, is needed to protect workers who are exposed to silica during hydraulic fracturing operations.” The Hazard Alert details reveal, “NIOSH identified seven primary sources of silica dust exposure during hydraulic fracturing operations:”

  1. Dust ejected from thief hatches on top of sand movers
  2. Dust pulsed through open side fill ports on sand movers
  3. Dust generated by on-site vehicle traffic
  4. Dust released under the sand movers on the transfer belts
  5. Dust created as sand drops into the blender hopper or transfer belts
  6. Dust released from operations of transfer belts between sand movers & blender hoppers
  7. Dust released from ends of transfer belts (dragon’s tail)

The workers who exhibited the highest degree of exposure were those involved with moving sand (sand king, blender and conveyor operators as well as sand truck drivers…and workers down wind) The full results of the NIOSH study and OSHA/NIOSH Hazard Alert to the oil and gas exploration industry can be found at – http://www.osha.gov/dts/hazardalerts/hydraulic_frac_hazard_alert.html This document is Part One in a series called, “The Comprehensive Guide to Minimizing Respirable Silica Dust Exposure in Hydraulic Fracturing” produced by HalenHardy.

Coming Next:  Part Two – What is Silica & Why is it so Dangerous?

© 2013 Donald Beaver – HalenHardy, LLC – All rights reserved. HalenHardy LLC, specializes in protecting workers from airborne dangerous dusts and operates from its headquarters in Bellwood, PA, near the epicenter of Marcellus Shale exploration & production region.  Our innovative MASHH Mobile Air Showers by HalenHardy protect workers by removing hazardous dust from their clothing. HalenHardy is the founding member of the Clean Team Dust Alliance, a group of companies focused on substantially reducing respirable silica dust exposures in the Oil & Gas Exploration & Production industry.

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