Best Practices when Drilling
- Rig-mounted core saws or drills: Use tool equipped with integrated water delivery system that supplies water to cutting surface. When adequate water delivery systems are used, no respiratory protection is required.
- Handheld and stand-mounted drills (including impact and rotary hammer drills). Use drills equipped with commercially available shrouds or cowlings with dust collection systems. Use HEPA-filtered vacuums when cleaning holes. When these requirements are met, no respiratory protection is required.
- Dowel drilling rigs for concrete: (For outdoor use only). Use shrouds around drill bits with dust collection systems. Use HEPA-filtered vacuums when cleaning holes. Always use respiratory protection with a Minimum Assigned Protection Factor (APF) during the work shift.
- Vehicle-mounted drilling rigs for rock and concrete. Two primary best practices are recommended by OSHA:
- Use dust collection systems with closed capture hoods or shrouds around drill bits with a low-flow water sprays to wet the dust at discharge points from the dust collectors, or
- Operate the equipment from within enclosed cabs and use water for dust suppression on drill bits.
When either of these two requirements has been met, no respiratory protection is required.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
4-5. When possible, what type of hazard control system should be installed on cutting equipment to most effectively reduce exposure to silica dust?
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