SILICA IN FOUNDRIES
CONTROL EXPOSURE TO PROTECT WORKERS’ HEALTH
Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) in foundries includes workers exposed to dust produced by mould making, knockout and shakeout of finished castings, fettling and sand reclamation. In these processes, dust is created which may be fine enough to be breathed deep into the lungs and cause devastating lung diseases including silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. These lung diseases ruin not only the lives of those that are suffering, but also their friends and families lives. Although irreversible, these diseases are preventable.
In addition, exposure to ferrous foundry fume can cause lung cancer; other foundry fumes, moulding making materials and finishing products can cause asthma.
WHAT EMPLOYERS NEED TO KNOW
Exposure to RCS is subject to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH). As an employer, you are legally responsible for taking effective measures to control exposure and protect workers’ health.
It is important to keep dust and fumes exposure to a minimum and ensure control measures are in good working order.
TASK SPECIFIC ADVICE
Foundry task specific advice can be found on the COSHH sheets here: Foundry – COSHH e-tool (hse.gov.uk).
This includes advice on general ventilation, molten metal fume (melting, pouring and casting), sand plant, core making and shell moulding, fettling castings, spray coating castings and cleaning dust collectors
