Other
Please note: These provisions were established prior to the issuance of Federal OSHA’s silica standard.
Chicago Department of Public Health – See Building Code Chapter 11-4: Environmental Protection and Control, Article XVIII: Asbestos, Sandblasting, and Grinding Standards. “The purpose of City Code 11-4-2150 - 11-4-2190 is to reduce the potential risk of harm to the public's health, safety and welfare or to the environment from releases of dust, debris and other materials occasioned by the demolition, renovation, alteration, repair, cleaning or maintenance of certain types of buildings, facilities or other structures within the City of Chicago.... Dust generated from any sandblasting, grinding, or chemical washing operation shall be minimized through the use of dust containment, wetting, vacuum attachments or other such mechanical means as appropriate..." Architectural Surface Cleaning Permit – to obtain a permit, a contractor must submit “A written dust minimization-containment plan.”
City of Boston Environment Department – Guidelines for Construction 1.0 Air Quality, Construction – “Use wet saws for brick and masonry cutting. For re-pointing work, remove mortar with hand tools, mechanical grinding is often unnecessary. If grinders are used, shrouding, waterspray, vacuum systems and/or similar methods must be in place to prevent dust from leaving the site.”
Ohio EPA - Rule 3745-17-08 - Restriction of emission of fugitive dust states, in part, "No person shall cause or permit any fugitive dust source to be operated...or a building... to be used, constructed, altered, repaired, or demolished without taking or installing reasonably available control measures to prevent fugitive dust from becoming airborne. Such reasonably available control measures shall include, but not be limited to, one or more of the following... the use of water or other suitable dust suppression chemicals... the installation and use of hoods, fans, and other equipment to adequately enclose, contain, capture, vent and control fugitive dust... The use of adequate containment methods during sandblasting or other similar operations..."
Model Silica Specifications for Masonry Grinding, Cutting and Sawing for use in construction bid documents, and an example of how this language was used by the School District of Philadelphia in the Environmental Coordination Section of a construction bid document for a demolition project. The City of Philadelphia has also issued a dust control guidance document for construction, renovation and demolition activities.
