Worker Exposure to Airborne Contaminants When Using Waste Foundry Sand in the Construction of Road Embankments [Technical Summary]

Details

• Creators:
  Jacko, Robert B.
• Corporate Creators:
  Purdue University. Joint Transportation Research Program
• Corporate Contributors:
  Indiana Department of Transportation ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Wastes
  • Crystalline rocks
  • Foundry sand
  • Silica
  • Dust control
  • Road construction
  • Contaminants
  • Environmental impacts
  • Work zone safety
  • Health hazards
  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FHWA/IN/JTRP-2002/3
• Resource Type:
  Brief
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States ; Indiana
• Edition:
  Technical Summary
• Corporate Publisher:
  Indiana Department of Transportation
• Description:
  In 1996, waste sand was used in the construction of a roadway embankment in northeastern Indiana. Previous investigations of the sand had found that it was safe to use as a construction material and had no detrimental effects. However, several days after the laying and compaction of the sand, tire interaction with the compacted and now dried sand caused the generation of copious black dust clouds that coated the backs of the construction vehicles in a layer of fine black dust. Concern expressed by the workers breathing the dust is the driving force behind this research. The workers concern in breathing the waste sand dust, knowing it is composed mainly of silica, is silicosis. Thus the aim of this research was to determine whether worker exposure is greater than the current OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for silica and to specify a mixture percentage of fine dust for waste sand that can be used for embankment construction.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  SPR-2194
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/91239/dot_91239_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 141.42 KB]
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:353169783f15c55577b7cfc9aea9b6b98c8a93cc27aa75c2391e2407c54ba9fedbdfd90e41bb6af5419a8efad3126f4baf735aaad6c25e67dcee197a59116b93