What are the health risks associated with cutting concrete?
Toxic exhaust fumes, saw kickback, blade fracture, and silica dust are some of the many hazards of concrete cutting. Concrete cutting devices are vulnerable to violent pressure when the blade jams inside a cut.
How do you safely cut concrete?
Always let the saw do the work; simply guide its direction, but don’t push it down into the concrete. You only need a quarter-inch cut at this point, but if the saw bites in a bit deeper, that’s fine too. This first guided cut will ensure you keep your cuts straight during the rest of the project.
What PPE is necessary when sawing concrete?
Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as safety head, eye and ear protection; dust mask or respirator; protective boots; chaps and gloves. Never wear loose clothing or jewelry that can catch on the rented concrete saw during use. Connect a rented, electric concrete saw to a grounded outlet only.
What hazards are connected to the use of concreting?
Injuries that can occur from a concrete mixer incident are crushing, eye injury, irritation of the skin, lungs and eyes, electric shocks and explosions. Some of the minor issues include irritation of the skin from cement dust however this can deteriorate into a condition that can result in the thickening of the skin.
Can concrete cutting cause silicosis?
Concrete cutting produces dust which can contain silica, a harmful compound when exposed in air. Exposure to airborne crystalline silica can put workers at risk of developing silicosis, a non-curable lung disease caused by accumulation of silica dust in the lungs.
Is dust from cutting concrete hazardous to health?
That cloud of dust you see when a worker cuts or grinds concrete, brick, or stone is not just harmless dust… It contains crystalline silica… and IT CAN KILL. When you inhale the dust, silica particles scar your lungs, causing a disabling, irreversible, and incurable lung disease called silicosis.
Do you need a respirator to cut concrete?
You must wear a respirator while cutting wet concrete. Engineering controls such as wet sawing or ventilation/vacuum systems should be used before relying on respirators.
Should you wear a mask while cutting concrete?
It’s created by cutting, grinding, drilling, or crushing stone, rock, concrete, brick, mortar and other construction materials. Silica dust poses a direct and serious threat to the health of anyone working near this dust. If you and your team are exposed to silica dust, you’ll need to wear a silica respirator.
Why is concrete hazardous?
Irritation, Dermatitis, and Burns Any type of direct contact with wet concrete can quickly lead to skin irritation, dermatitis, or worse, a chemical burn. Think about it–as concrete hardens it absorbs moisture. The chemicals in cement pull moisture out of anything to aid in the drying process.
What is concrete safety?
To protect your skin and eyes, wear alkali-resistant gloves, long sleeves and long pants to keep skin covered, waterproof boots, and eye protection. It is good practice to keep extra gloves and safety glasses at construction sites. When wet concrete makes contact with skin, it can result in severe chemical burns.