Safety, PPE & Jobsite
Silica controls, skin protection, curing blankets, dust containment and testing equipment.
How to choose within safety, ppe & jobsite
Two hazards dominate concrete work and both are routinely underestimated because neither hurts immediately.
Respirable crystalline silica is generated by cutting, grinding and drilling concrete. OSHA regulates it under 29 CFR 1926.1153 at a 50 µg/m³ permissible exposure limit averaged over eight hours, with a 25 µg/m³ action level. Table 1 of the rule pairs common tasks with specified controls — integrated water delivery on saws, HEPA-equipped shrouds on grinders — and following the Table 1 entry for your task removes the requirement to conduct exposure assessment. The particles that cause silicosis are too fine to see, so visible dust is not the measure.
Wet cement causes alkaline chemical burns. When cement meets water the pH rises above 12, and alkali at that concentration attacks skin protein. The injury is often painless at first and progresses for as long as contact continues, which is why the serious cases are knees and shins rather than hands. Waterproof knee protection and alkali-rated gloves are the controls, along with washing exposed skin immediately.
What this category covers
- Silica dust control
- Concrete gloves and protective wear
- Knee protection
- Curing blankets
- Dust containment
- Testing: slump cones, cylinder molds, moisture meters