Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) is a substance found in a variety of building materials, including cement, concrete, quartz, engineered stone and mortar.
Silica dust is so fine, that its spores are able to penetrate deep into the lower lung and cause irreversible damage.
The documented effects of RCS include, but are not necessarily limited to: lung cancer, renal cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and silicosis, (an irreversible and progressive condition, resulting in difficulty breathing and eventually death).
Though asbestos is widely regarded to be more dangerous than RCS, its effects generally take a much greater period of time to manifest (often decades).
In stark contrast: silicosis can manifest only weeks or months after initial exposure, in extreme cases, death can occur in under a year. A general time frame for silicosis to rear it’s head is 5-10 years on, from initial high-level exposure.
There are a vast array of controls that ought to be put into place to prevent inhalation
When materials containing RCS cannot be eliminated or replaced with less hazardous ones, engineering controls such as:
- Water suppression (of dust)
- On tool extraction
- Ventilation
- Fans
Workers who face exposure to the dust should wear at least a P2 half-face respirator.
Disposable clothing is also advisable, tools should be comprehensively cleaned after contact with materials containing RCS.
See AS/NZ 1715 for further information regarding RPE and suggested controls.
Is RCS more dangerous than asbestos?
No, not according to the experts.
According to the experts at Hugh James University in Cardiff, “RCS can be very harmful, but will mostly only impact individuals with very specific job roles and exposure levels”.
That is not to say, that RCS exposure is not an issue of extreme importance.
PCBUs must account for the hazards and responsibilities in relation to working with respirable crystalline silica, in any safety management plan where exposure may occur.
See our management systems services Here.
