Occupational exposure to dust in quartz manufacturing industry.

Publisher: Oxford University Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 0203526 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 0003-4878 (Print) Linking ISSN: 00034878 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Ann Occup Hyg Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: 2002- : Oxford : Oxford University Press
Original Publication: Oxford, New York, [etc.] Pergamon Press

Occupational Exposure*/statistics & numerical data; Air Pollutants, Occupational/*analysis ; Quartz/*analysis; Air Pollutants, Occupational/adverse effects ; Dust ; Environmental Monitoring ; Humans ; India ; Industry ; Inhalation Exposure/statistics & numerical data ; Quartz/adverse effects

Owing to the abundance of a sedimentary rock, 65 small-scale quartz manufacturing enterprises, employing 650 workers, have been established in the region studied. Quartz powder manufacturing involves various processes and operations, such as manual handling of quartz stones, crushing, grinding, sieving, screening, mixing, storing and bagging. Results demonstrate that each of these operations generates high concentrations of airborne 'total' dust and respirable dust, which contain a very high percentage (> 75%) free silica. The estimated average exposure to airborne 'total' dust was 22.5 mg m-3 (Permissible Limit of Exposure 1.08 mg m-3), and respirable dust 2.93 mg m-3 (PLE 0.36 mg m-3). This shows that 'total' dust exposure was 7.7 times higher than respirable dust. Since the present work systems and practices may pose a serious health risk to the workers, public and the environment, suitable preventive and control measures have been suggested for improvement in the workplace.

0 (Air Pollutants, Occupational)
0 (Dust)
14808-60-7 (Quartz)

Date Created: 19990805 Date Completed: 19990917 Latest Revision: 20060419

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