SafetyQuestion 566 of 700

At the end of the day, a crew must clean up concrete dust that contains silica. Which housekeeping method is BEST to limit worker exposure?

a.Dry sweep the whole area quickly
b.Use compressed air to blow dust off surfaces
c.Leave the dust for the next shift to handle
d.Use wet methods or a HEPA-filtered vacuum instead of dry sweeping

Explanation

Dry sweeping and compressed air throw silica dust back into the air where workers breathe it. The best practice is wet cleaning or a vacuum with a HEPA filter, which capture dust rather than disperse it. Option a and b both re-suspend hazardous dust. Option c leaves the hazard in place. Controlling dust at cleanup is as important as controlling it during cutting.

Law Reference: Cal/OSHA Title 8 §1532.3

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