Case Study to Identify Barriers and Incentives to Implementing an Engineering Control for Concrete Grinding Dust

Research has indicated that respirable crystalline silica dust exposure is a serious health hazard in the construction industry. One source of this hazard is the dust generated by drilling, sawing, chipping, and grinding concrete. There are several options for controlling this hazard, one of which is the use of local exhaust ventilation (LEV) directly attached to the cutting tool. Implementing an engineering control presents a challenge on the construction work site where it is often difficult to determine who will take the initiative for introducing an innovative strategy. This study examines the implementation of an LEV system on an overhead grinder illustrating the roles that various members of the construction team played. The results of the case study found that key factors that affected implementation were: (1) a cooperative relationship between individuals employed by the general contractor and the concrete subcontractor; (2) the effect of high airborne dust levels on scheduling the work of other subcontractors; (3) the public relations effects of high dust levels in a downtown area; and (4) the concrete subcontractor perceived benefits that exceeded the short-term cost of the intervention.