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A construction dust-control checklist should make sure silica hazards are identified, the right OSHA compliance method is in place, source controls are working, and cleanup does not put settled dust back into the air. The checklist below is for U.S. construction work involving respirable crystalline silica; it is not a complete control plan for lead, wood dust, or every other airborne hazard.
Use it before work begins, while dusty work is underway, and at cleanup. It supports—not replaces—the employer’s written exposure control plan, task-specific OSHA requirements, or the applicable OSHA-approved state plan.
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What work belongs on a silica dust-control checklist?
Include tasks that can generate respirable crystalline silica: cutting, sawing, grinding, drilling, jackhammering, demolition, abrasive blasting, and some site-preparation work. Silica may be present in concrete, mortar, granite, and natural or engineered stone. The material name alone is not enough to choose controls: record the specific operation and the conditions in which it will happen.
For each task, note what material will be disturbed, the tool or process, whether work is indoors, outdoors, or enclosed, and any other circumstances that affect exposure. OSHA requires enough task detail in the written exposure control plan to identify and consistently control silica hazards. A general entry such as “concrete work” may not distinguish a brief outdoor cut from sustained grinding in an enclosed area.
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This checklist concerns respirable crystalline silica under the U.S. construction standard. Other airborne hazards may need separate assessments and controls. Check the rules that apply in the job’s jurisdiction, including any applicable state-plan requirements.
Which OSHA compliance method applies?
For each task, determine whether the employer will fully and properly implement the applicable controls in OSHA’s Table 1 or use the alternative exposure-control method. Table 1 lists task-specific control requirements; if an employer uses the alternative method, it must meet the permissible exposure limit and follow the applicable exposure-assessment requirements.
Do not treat Table 1 as a menu from which to select only convenient measures. The listed requirements can specify engineering controls, work practices, and respirator use, and may differ by task and by whether work is indoors, outdoors, or enclosed. OSHA explains the standard and the construction requirements; the regulation itself is the controlling reference.
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- Table 1 route: Identify the matching task and fully implement its applicable controls. For listed tasks, this route avoids exposure measurement only when the controls are fully and properly implemented.
- Alternative route: Use the alternative exposure-control provisions for a task outside Table 1 or when Table 1 is not fully implemented. This approach involves exposure assessment as applicable and requires exposures to meet the PEL.
The OSHA exposure limits are 25 micrograms per cubic meter as an 8-hour time-weighted-average action level and 50 micrograms per cubic meter as an 8-hour time-weighted-average permissible exposure limit. These figures are not interchangeable: the PEL is the limit the alternative method must meet, while the action level is a separate threshold in the standard. A checklist should record which compliance route applies rather than trying to infer compliance from whether dust is visible.
What should supervisors check before dusty work starts?
Before the task begins, confirm that the plan covers the actual work conditions and that the specified controls, people, and supplies are ready. A control written in the plan does not help if it is missing, unsuitable for the tool, or not maintained.
- Identify the material and operation. Record what will be cut, ground, drilled, demolished, blasted, or otherwise disturbed. Describe the particular tool or process and the work setting, including indoor, outdoor, or enclosed conditions.
- Confirm the compliance route. Match the task to the applicable Table 1 entry and verify that every requirement can be met, or establish that the alternative exposure-control method will be used. If the planned setup changes, revisit this decision before continuing.
- Inspect source-control equipment. Confirm that the water-delivery system, local exhaust or vacuum collection, enclosure, or combination of controls specified for the task is present and suitable. Check connections, hoses, guards, and other task-relevant equipment against the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Check supplies and maintenance. Make sure water is available when water suppression is required and that filters and collection equipment are in serviceable condition. Follow manufacturer instructions for operation and maintenance; arrange filter replacement or servicing when needed.
- Set access and coordination procedures. Decide whether the work area needs access restrictions and keep workers who are not needed away when the plan or exposure circumstances call for it. Coordinate with other employers and sole proprietors whose work or workers may be affected. Restrictions should reflect the relevant work area and exposure circumstances; silica work on one floor does not automatically mean every worker must be barred from the entire floor.
- Name the competent person. Identify who will inspect the site, materials, and equipment and who has the knowledge, ability, and authority to recognize hazards and prompt corrective action. The standard requires a competent person, but OSHA does not prescribe one specific training class for the role.
- Resolve respirator requirements. Check the task and duration against the applicable requirements. If a respirator is required, confirm that the employer’s respiratory protection program and the appropriate respirator are in place before exposure begins.
What should the competent person monitor during work?
During the task, verify that specified controls remain in operation at the point where dust is generated, workers follow the planned work practices, and access restrictions and respirator requirements are observed. Respond to control failures rather than waiting until the end of the shift.
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- Watch water delivery or dust collection. Confirm that water reaches the point of dust generation when required, or that the specified vacuum or local exhaust captures dust as intended. For indoor or enclosed work, check the task-specific requirements for exhaust or other controls.
- Look for changes in emissions. Some dust can remain even when controls are working as intended. A noticeable increase in dust emissions, however, can signal that a control system is not operating properly; inspect it and correct the problem. Do not use the mere presence or absence of visible dust as a substitute for following the applicable compliance method.
- Keep the work area controlled. Keep unnecessary workers out of areas where access restrictions apply, and coordinate overlapping work with other employers and sole proprietors. Reassess the area if the task, enclosure, or work sequence changes.
- Check respirator use when required. Workers must use required respirators for the full task duration. A generic mask recommendation cannot replace task-specific requirements or the employer’s respiratory protection program.
- Stop and correct failures. If water, exhaust, collection equipment, or another required control fails, follow the site’s procedures to address the failure before relying on the control again. Record the issue and corrective action in the site safety process.
NIOSH’s safe-work guidance for silica describes the use of water, ventilation, and other controls as part of a broader hierarchy of controls. The practical point for supervisors is to control dust at its source and verify that the method selected for the specific task is operating as intended.
How should crews clean up silica dust?
Choose a cleanup method that minimizes airborne dust. OSHA restricts dry sweeping or dry brushing where those methods could expose employees to silica if feasible alternatives are available. Compressed air is also restricted unless it is used with effective dust-capturing ventilation or no alternative is feasible.
- Choose a feasible low-dust method. Consider wet sweeping, HEPA-filtered vacuuming, or another exposure-minimizing method suited to the task and surface. NIOSH advises avoiding dry sweeping and compressed air and identifies HEPA-filtered vacuuming as a housekeeping control.
- Do not blow dust around. Do not use compressed air on clothing or surfaces except under OSHA’s stated conditions. Avoid practices that turn settled material into an airborne cloud or carry it into clean areas.
- Contain collected material. Handle vacuum filters and collected dust so they do not release dust back into the work area. OSHA’s construction FAQs describe sealed containers, such as heavy-duty plastic bags, as one possible way to limit dust release.
- Maintain the cleanup equipment. Include filter cleaning, filter replacement, and dust disposal in the plan when required. Replace water and air filters as needed or according to manufacturer instructions.
- Check the area before handover. Make sure the work area and equipment are left in a condition consistent with the plan, and report any control or housekeeping problem for follow-up.
Do not assume a vacuum is suitable merely because it is described as a dust extractor. Equipment must fit the particular task and tool and meet the requirements that apply to that operation. OSHA and NIOSH identify vacuum collection and HEPA-filtered vacuuming as relevant controls, but that does not mean one generic vacuum satisfies every Table 1 requirement.
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What belongs in the written plan and the shift record?
The written exposure control plan should describe silica-related tasks, the controls and respiratory protection for each task, housekeeping measures, and any necessary access restrictions. Make the plan specific enough that supervisors can use it to identify the required setup and workers can understand the controls for their operation.
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At the site level, document problems, corrective actions, and follow-up inspections through the safety process already in use. OSHA’s reviewed materials support regular competent-person inspections and implementation of the written plan, but do not prescribe one universal inspection-log template. A useful record should make it possible to see what task and control were involved, what failed or changed, what action was taken, and whether the correction was checked.
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Field checklist: before, during, and after the task
| When | Supervisor’s checks |
|---|---|
| Before work | Identify material, task, and setting; select the applicable Table 1 or alternative method; verify required controls and supplies; establish any needed access procedures; identify the competent person; confirm respirator requirements. |
| During work | Check water or collection at the source; monitor for increased emissions or control failure; maintain access restrictions and coordination; verify required respirator use for the full task. |
| Cleanup and end of shift | Use a feasible low-dust cleanup method; avoid prohibited dry sweeping, brushing, or compressed air; contain dust and filters; maintain equipment; record problems, corrections, and follow-up. |
The checklist is useful only when it follows the work. If the material, task, enclosure, or control setup changes, return to the plan and confirm that the selected method still applies. For background on the standard and employer duties, consult OSHA’s construction silica FAQs and construction-standard guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does OSHA require a specific course for a silica competent person?
OSHA requires the employer to designate a competent person to inspect worksites, materials, and equipment and implement the written plan, but the reviewed construction materials do not prescribe one specific training class for the role. The person needs the knowledge, ability, and authority to recognize hazards and prompt corrective action.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWhen does silica-related medical surveillance have to be offered?
Under the construction standard, medical surveillance must be made available at no cost to an employee required to use a respirator under the standard for 30 or more days per year. That is a specific respirator-use trigger, not a rule that automatically covers every worker who may encounter silica.
Does this checklist cover every kind of construction dust?
No. It addresses respirable crystalline silica in U.S. construction, including work that can disturb concrete, mortar, granite, or stone. Lead, wood dust, nuisance dust, and other airborne hazards may involve different requirements and need their own applicable controls.
