DUST MONITORING EXPOSURE: ABRASIVE BLASTING PROCESS

Abstract

Abrasive blasting is a process that is widely used to clean and remove the coating on a surface by using a variety of media. In Malaysia, blasting process subjected under the Occupational Safety and Health (Use and Standard of Exposure to Chemical Hazardous to Health) Regulations 2000 (USECHH 2000), and Factories and Machinery (Mineral Dust) Regulations 1989. This study was done to find out the concentration and composition of dust during blasting process. The blasting process was conducted about eight hours which used two types of media; aluminium oxide and steel shot. Two methods were used to collect dust from blasting process; NIOSH 0600 (respirable dust) and NIOSH 0500 (inhalable dust). There are three types of exposure that have been analysed; standard exposure, zero exposure and similar exposure for determination of PEL. The analysis result of dust concentration for aluminium and steel shot, most of the analysis shows that the level of exposure has exceeded the permissible exposure limits that have been allowed in the USECHH 2000. In the standard exposure analysis the result show dust concentration exceed three times PEL for steel shot. The Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS) result shows the presence of several elements that are harmful to health such as silica (Si) and lead (Pb). Keywords: Abrasive Blasting, Aluminium Oxide, Steel Shot, Occupational Safety and Health