Plan dust control before the task starts
Silica is found in materials such as concrete, bricks, mortar, sand, stone and tiles. When these materials are cut, drilled, ground or broken, fine respirable crystalline silica dust can be produced.
The smallest dust is the hardest to see and the most important to control. Do not wait until a visible cloud appears before treating the task as a health risk.
Use the assess, control and review habit
A silica dust record should show how the team has assessed the task, selected controls and checked whether those controls are still working.
- Identify the material, task, tool and duration.
- Reduce dust at source where possible.
- Use water suppression or on-tool extraction where suitable.
- Confirm RPE is suitable, face-fit tested and worn correctly when required.
- Keep other workers away from dusty work areas.
- Record cleaning methods that avoid dry sweeping.
- Review controls when tools, materials or conditions change.
Link dust controls to RAMS and COSHH
Silica dust should not be hidden inside a generic method statement. Link the dust controls to the RAMS, COSHH assessment, toolbox talk, inspection and any health surveillance requirements identified by competent people.
The record should be practical enough for supervisors to check on site. If the control depends on a vacuum, water feed, RPE model or exclusion zone, name it clearly.
Useful official guidance
Review HSE silica dust guidance, HSE construction dust guidance and HSE health surveillance guidance for RCS.
How Zektrx helps
Zektrx helps teams connect silica dust controls to COSHH, RAMS, SDS records, toolbox talks, photos and action close-out. That makes dust control easier to review instead of leaving it as a line buried in a template.
Related Zektrx workflow
More ways to use this coshh/sds guide.
Put it into practice
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