Engineering Controls for Silica: Before and After

Local 1 Pennsylvania/Delaware member Barry Cardwell uses an angle grinder to repair mortar joints. With local-exhaust ventilation – in this case, the Dust Director, manufactured in Pittsburgh, Pa. – the cloud of dust is mostly gone and silica exposure is cut way down. BAC and the Center to Protect Workers’ Rights are looking at ways to control worker exposures to silica, which can kill. In a big step forward for worker health, many BAC Locals now include a requirement for engineering controls and protective equipment in collective bargaining agreements.

With local-exhaust ventilation	Without dust control.