As a main component in sand, rock and concrete, silica is among the most common health hazards New Brunswick’s workers face.
If you work with one of the following materials, you could be exposed to respirable silica:
Exposure to respirable silica puts you at risk for developing serious diseases including:
To help mitigate the risk, WorkSafeNB and the New Brunswick Construction Safety Association (with support from BC Construction Safety Alliance), has just released the Silica Control Tool.
Available to all New Brunswick employers, the tool allows you to anticipate exposures for a specific task, select appropriate controls, and establish an Exposure Control Plan detailing personal protective equipment required – all without the need for elaborate and costly sampling.
As per legislation, employers in our province must ensure the exposure of an employee at no time exceeds the occupational exposure limit (0.025 mg/m3) and must implement and maintain appropriate controls for this purpose.
Furthermore, employers must determine the level of exposure to respirable silica when the concentration may reach 50% of the occupational exposure limit.
To access the tool, you’ll need your company’s WorkSafeNB employer number and your legal company name as registered with WorkSafeNB. If you are registered with WorkSafeNB, and don’t know your employer number, ask your finance or HR department. Make sure your WorkSafeNB employer number is entered exactly as shown on official WorkSafeNB documents.
To complement the tool, WorkSafeNB has also released the Respirable Silica safety topic. It provides detailed information, video on tool use and FAQs.
WorkSafeNB is committed to making New Brunswick the safest place to work. Learn more about us.