title: Promoting early exposure monitoring for respirable crystalline silica: Taking the laboratory to the mine site.
abstract: The exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) in the mining industry is a recognized occupational hazard. The assessment and monitoring of the exposure to RCS is limited by two main factors: (1) variability of the silica percent in the mining dust and (2) lengthy off-site laboratory analysis of collected samples. The monitoring of respirable dust via traditional or real-time techniques is not adequate. A solution for on-site quantification of RCS in dust samples is being investigated by the Office of Mine Safety and Health Research, a division of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The use of portable Fourier transform infrared analyzers in conjunction with a direct-on-filter analysis approach is proposed. The progress made so far, the necessary steps in progress, and the application of the monitoring solution to a small data set is presented. When developed, the solution will allow operators to estimate RCS immediately after sampling, resulting in timelier monitoring of RCS for self-assessment of compliance at the end of the shift, more effective engineering monitoring, and better evaluation of control technologies.
authors.affiliation: a Office of Mine Safety and Health Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cauda
authors.affiliation: a Office of Mine Safety and Health Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: a Office of Mine Safety and Health Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Drake
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D003031:Coal; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D008906:Mining; D009314:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S.; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D016272:Occupational Health; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D003031:Coal; D004391:Dust; D012822:Silicon Dioxide
keywords: Exposure; field-based monitoring; mining; portable FTIR; respirable crystalline silica (RCS)