Concrete Products covers the issues that attract producers of ready mixed and manufactured concrete focusing on equipment and material technology, market development and management topics.
Issue link: http://concrete.epubxp.com/i/821154
14 • May 2017 www.concreteproducts.com GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS REGULATIONS Occupational Safety and Health Administration has moved the target for the construction industry to comply with the revised respirable crystalline silica exposure standard from June 23 to September 23, citing a need to conduct additional outreach and provide educational materials and guidance due to the unique nature of employer require- ments. The standard reduces the worker exposure threshold from 250 to 50 micrograms of silica dust. Announcing the delay, the agency nevertheless urges construction industry employers to continue to a) take steps either to come into compliance with the new permissible exposure limit, or implement specific dust controls for certain operations as provided in Table 1 of the standard; and, b) prepare to implement exposure assessments, medical surveillance and employee training requirements. On behalf of the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC), the Mason Contractors Association of America noted, "The Coalition is pleased OSHA has recognized the need to develop guidance mate- rial for the construction industry before enforcing the respirable crystalline silica rule. While CISC appreciates the 90-day delay in enforcement, [it] remains concerned about the overall feasibility of the standard in construction and has requested that the Agency delay enforcement for a year." Crystalline silica is a component of concrete that becomes breath- able when drilling, sawing, polishing, cutting or crushing concrete, brick, block, rock or stone, notes Bosch Tool. OSHA claims that respirable crystalline silica is capable of crippling or killing workers by causing a range of lung diseases, from silicosis and lung cancer to emphysema, plus kidney disease. The agency estimates that 2.3 million U.S. workers are exposed to respirable silica dust each year on the job. Prior to the OSHA's announcement of enforcement delay, con- struction and plant equipment companies were preparing contractors and concrete producers for June 2017 and June 2018 compliance targets, promoting at World of Concrete and The Precast Show an array of devices Concrete Products samples here. VAC-U-MAX Model 1040PD central vacuum system is available in 10 hp and 15 hp, supporting one to three operators while con- forming to NFPA standards for indoor installation. The model generates 100 percent more vacuum than other small central vac systems with piping runs up to 200 feet, product engineers contend. It features a plug-and-play design with single-point compressed air and three- phase power supply, plus full control panel. All Vac-U-Max central vacs with positive-dis- placement or regenerative blower vacuum producers are available with secondary HEPA filtration. Typical applications for HEPA-filtered vacuums include precast concrete, cement and aggregate operations. — Vac-U-Max, Belleville, N.J., 800/VACUMAX; www.vac-u-max.com E-Z DRILL Company has added to its concrete dowel drill line the Dust Collection Cart, suited to handheld tools and meeting all engineering and control methods outlined in the OSHA Table 1 requirements for crystalline silica exposure. Fitted with two 600-mm filters to effectively trap dust particles, the cart collection system weighs 215 lbs. and uses the same air compressor as the drill, drawing 40 additional cfm. It effectively collects dust directly from the drilled holes and conveys to a vessel. E-Z Drill designed the cart with 20 feet of 2-in. dust collection hose and a shroud that goes around the bit to ensure the dust is collected at the point of drilling, maximizing the amount of silica the system captures and reducing operator exposure. — E-Z Drill Inc., Perry, Okla.; 800/272-0121; www.ezdrill.com MINNICH MFG. When used with appropriated filter, the dust collection system for dowel pin drills meets related Table 1 requirements in the OSHA final respirable crystalline silica standard. Filters supplied with the system comply with the agency's filter efficiency requirement. Featuring Venturi-style suction and manual or automatic purge control, the pneumatic dust collector removes dust from the air as the opera- tor drills. The canister-style unit can be retrofitted to any Minnich on-grade, on-slab, machine-mounted or utility drill model. It can also be adapted to fit other dowel pin drill makes and models. The dust collection system requires 40 scfm for hydraulically pow- ered drills and 50 scfm for pneumatically powered units, and 60 to 110 psi. Each canister can accommodate up to two drills and offers a 60-square-meter filter area. System shipped with drill rod guide collection boots, 5-gal. pail-type hopper, and up to 20 feet of vacuum hose per drill. — Minnich Mfg., Mansfield, Ohio, www.minnich-mfg.com OSHA silica rule decision spells three-month reprieve for contractors Company bills the Dust Collection Cart as the industry's first such device for handheld drills.