Field Note: Cutting Masonry and Concrete Materials
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Masonry and Concrete Materials
State Agency Takes Up Cutting Masonry and
Concrete Materials
 In
a draft proposal soon to be placed on its Web site, the California
Department of Occupational Safety & Health (DOSH) notes
discussions are beginning on how to control employee exposures from
dust-generating operations on masonry and concrete materials.
In the draft document, the introduction of water to cutting or
grinding operations is the preferred method of control. On a related
note, the Commentary to the Specification
for Masonry Structures recently introduced an explicit
allowance for wet cutting masonry. Previous wording in the Commentary
left room for interpretation and sometimes prevented wet cutting
from being done. Section 3.2 C now clearly states that “water
introduced during wet cutting is localized and does not significantly
affect the shrinkage potential of concrete masonry.” Other
than this exception, concrete masonry is not to be wetted before
it is placed in a wall, thereby preventing unwanted volume changes.
In the California proposal, specific exceptions to wet cutting include
cases where water will introduce other safety hazards, such as working
from elevated scaffolds or working near electrical equipment, or
when operations do not result in an exposure exceeding the crystalline
silica permissible exposure limit set in California, as demonstrated
by quantitative measures.
When water cannot be used, other engineering controls such as dust-collection
systems must be used. The draft proposal also contains significant
training issues. The advisory committee is expected to determine
whether a standard or some other type of guidance is issued to help
achieve the objectives outlined by the proposal.
Wet cutting guidelines are designed to ensure worker health and
safety in both the short and long term. Proper material handling
procedures, however, need to be based on good science. The Wall
Street Journal has reported on litigation fraud in the mass
tort legal system, and just last year, Judge Janis Graham Jack issued
a ruling that underscored the prevalence of silicosis fraud.
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