Is Silica a Hazard in My Workplace?

One way to determine whether silica is a hazard in your workplace is to check the labels on the materials you use. A product that contains silica should have a label that says so. It is the manufacturer's responsibility to attach a label to all products that contain more than 0.1 percent silica that may be hazardous when used. It is the employer's responsibility to ensure that the label is not removed or defaced.

In addition, the machines you use may also be labeled with warning signs indicating that silica is being used.

Another way to determine if silica is a hazard in your workplace is to review the Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) (formerly known as Material Safety Data Sheets, or MSDSs) for the products you are using. These sheets contain data for all materials or products containing hazardous substances that are used at a business in quantities greater than what a typical consumer would use. As with the product labels, if a material or product contains crystalline silica in quantities greater than 0.1 percent, there must be an SDS for it. It is the manufacturers' responsibility to obtain or develop an SDS for each hazardous chemical they produce or import. It is the employer's responsibility to ensure that all employees have access to SDSs for all hazardous materials found at the workplace.

To learn more about Silica Safety visit our General & Maritime Silica Safety Online Training web page.