UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OSHA —_— English | spanish Find tin OSHA, a ATOZ INDEX ‘ABOUT OSHA ~ WORKERS ~ EMPLOYERS ~ REGULATIONS ~ ENFORCEMENT > TOPICS ~ NEWS & PUBLICATIONS ~ DATA ~ TRAINING ~ OSHA ARCHIVE NOTICE: This isan OSHA Archive Document, and no longer represents OSHA Policy. It i presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only. Tools Home © sca ‘Ske Mop | SEP | FAQ| ibbooraphy | Glossary | Crexts Bak to Protection Silicosis in Sandblasters Use Silica Substitutes Division of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health ‘Something i sl kiling sandblases. I a lung disease ale slices, and ts preventable. The cisease and its cause have been recognized for decades; yet many sandbasters stil contrac this Geblitating and deadly disease caused by the inhalation of slca sand dust. Because controling a sandblaste’s exposure to slic dust is apparently so dificult, one way of reducing te rik of silos to this segment of the work population by substituting 2 es toxie materia for slica sand dung abrasive basting operations, Great tan and the European Economic Community have restricted the use of sca sand as an abrasive blasting materia SSnce 1949, and 1966, respectively. The National Institute of Qeapational Safety and Healt (NIOSH) has recommended since 1974 that slica sand (or other substances containing more than one percent free silica) be prohibited as an abrasive blasting ‘material and tat les hazardous substtutes be used. ‘There area number of materia avalable as ateative abrasive blasting media. The major substute materials relisted Inside this bulletin alongwith some information about each, Additional information regarding particular applications should be ‘obtained from the distributors ofthe varous substitute materials. Note that the cost per ton is misleading when compared to slice sand because many of the sted substRutes ae reqyable ‘and can therefore be revsed A more useful index of actual costs pice per square foot A formula used in the Indust to ‘calculate the cost per square fot is presented onthe last page of ths bulletin, The ral cost wil vary depending onthe Paticular application and factors associated with each job. When compared toslica sand inthis manner, you wil fd thatthe ‘costs of some slic substitutes ae competitive “The health effects of many ofthe sila substutes have nat been determined, and the materials removed by abrasive blasting ‘are often very hazardous. Its therefore Important to remember that no matter what abrasive Blasting material you use, you rust stil employ appropriate contol measures (e.g. containment, ventilation, and itration) as well as provide workers wth ‘raining and effective personal protective equipment (e.g. respirators and clothing). New Jersey State Department of Health & Senior Services ‘Occupational Health Service ‘Occupational Health Survellace Program PO Box 360, Trenton, ND 08625-0360, (609) 984-1863 ‘Stica Substitutes PRICE” SPECIALEQUIPMENT | PROPERTIES [ALUMINUM OXIDE ‘3660/7 ‘None Required (Closely Sized(Usualy Used in Cabinets very Hard (MOH 8.5- ‘or Rooms vith Recycing |) Equipment [BAKING SODA $900/Tan yes: [Natural (Fow and {Sodium Bicarbonate) (Meters Less Proucynin|Rinse Agents Aldea) ‘and Dries At) Water soluble INon-Sparking Non-Flammable (COAL SLAG $447Ton None Required | ard (MOH 67) langular junfarm Density luo Fitity (COPPER SLAG $50/Ten None Required Iara (MoH 7-8) Blocky ‘sharp Eaged [CORN COB GRANULES $350/Ten ‘Spedal Ventiation ——_|Nedlum Hardness May Be Requiredin —_|(MOH 4.5) Enclosed Areas to |Non-Sparking ‘contol Combustion lpavace 360.80/Ton Dry Air Requred [Natural Gas n Sold |(carbon Dioxide) [state [GARNET ‘Ss25/Ton None Reauired |very Hard (HOH 8) (Adatonal Components very Heavy (S.. 4:1) Required in Order to Recycle |Subangular Media) (GLASS BEADS $500/Ten None Required |Manufacured of (Usualy Used in [soda Lime Gass lat Cabinets wth Recycing Equipment) INrcKet stag s707ron None Required Ivery Hare (HOH 7-8) iocky [sharp Edged InuT SHELLS $3607Ton ‘Special Veniaton May B= [Soft Required in Encosed Areas to |Nor-Sparking Control Combustion jourvine ‘76/70 None Required | [Natural Mineral Hard (MOH 65-7) Ikon Specine Gravy, langue PLASTIC MEDIA '$3000-40007Ten ‘None Required sore (Addtional Components |Non-Abrasve Required in Order to [Poyester, Urea, Recycle Media) [Melamine Varieties [STAUROLITE $75-140/Ton ‘None Required [Rounds Grains (Additional Components [Hard (MOH 6.5-7) Required in Order to frreguar Shape Recycle Media) [STEEL GRIT & SHOT #254757 TOn ‘None Required [Uniform size (Aetional Components [Uniform Hardness Required in Order to (can be Manufactured Recycle Media) Various Specfcations| ‘Sica Substitutes continued. [APPLICATIONS "ADVANTAGES [ALUMINUM OXIDE [clesning Hard Metals .9. Thani) JRecylabie IRemoving Meta lech Gass [carve Granite [BAKING SODA [General Paint Removal less Material Used/Less {Soctum Bicarbonate) ‘Striping Ara Skins \deanup (cleaning Surfaces in Food Processing Pants low Nozzle Pressures (35-50 [Removing aint from Gass lest Iwon-Sparking| hater Soluble [COAL SLAG [ceneral Pint, Rust & Scale Removal rom Steel [Less Than 1% Free Slica Paint Removal from Wood inert lexposure of Aggregates frat cutting [creates Anchor Profile |copPER sia [ceneral Paint, Rust & Seale Removal rom Steal [Rapid Cuting[pane Removal trom Wood [CORN COB GRANULES —_[Deburring |Low Consumption Pain & Rust Removal fom Wood & Metal lLow Dust Levels ltocegracable [Day Ice [Gearing Areva Pats Ino Residue Remains Carbon Dioxide) [Gearing Exotic Metals [Minimal Cleanup [GARNET [ceneral Faint, Rust & Scale Removal From Steal [Lower Nozze Pressures (60- lo ps1) Low Dust Levels Fast Cleaning Rates {con be Recycled 6-7 Times kcow Free Sica [Gtass BEADS [ceaning & Polishing [uniform Sze and Shape [beburring Recyclable lpovide High Luster Polshed Isutace |NICKEL SLAG [General Pain, Rust & Scale Removal om Stee! [Rapid Cutting [NUT SHELLS (Clening Soft Materials (eg. Aluminum, Paste, [righ Removal Speed Wood) 'Non-Sparking | L (Cening Surfaces inthe Petroleum Industry lLow consumption jourvine [cean Light Ml Scale & Rust from Steet Low Chloride Ton eve 2.5 MIL Profle & Finer Low Conductivity lpLastic meDra [Cesning Sof Metals & Composites inert |Ceaning Metal Fabric Screens Recyclable [Does Not Damage Meta Isurtaces Low Nozae Pressures (20-40 Pst) [STaUROLITE [cleaning Coroded, pitta, Weathered Steel Creating |Lack of imbedment lanchor Profile on New Stee! |sood Feathering Low Dust Levels Recyclable 3-4 Times [STEEL GRIT & SHOT Paint, Rust & Scale Removal om Steel Suface [Can be Recyled 100-200 reparation of Structural Stee! in Centrifugal Wheel [Times fonts l.ow Dust Levels IsuperiorVistity Portable Blast Rooms lavaiable [creates anchor Pre ‘Sie Substitutes continued. LIMITATIONS: laLuminuet OXIDE Must be Redaimed and Reused for Economy [BAKING SODA May Damage Soft Bick | Sodium Bicarbonate) [coat Siac [Tendency to mbed in wid Stoo! May Contain Toxic Metals [COPPER SLAG [Tendency to mbed in id Stee! ay Contain Toxic Metals [CORN COB GRANULES Does Not Create an Anchor Profle [pay ce |(Carbon Dioxide) (GARNET [GLASS BEADS [Does Not Greate an Anchor Profile INICKEL SLAG [Tendency to Imbed in Mid Stee, Poor Visit, Might React with lcoresion Inhibitors sed in Wet Biastng ay Contain Toxic Metals INUT SHELLS Iwor-etching [Potential Fire Hazard [OLIVINE [PLASTIC MEDIA lanchor Profile Limited te Soft Subsvates (e.g. Aluminum and Paste) |STAUROLITE [May Contain Up to 596 Fee Stic ISTEEL GRIT & SHOT “prices are only NIDHSS estimates based on the best information avalable in 1994,