Yes. When tasks are performed indoors or in enclosed areas, the dispersal of dust can be impeded, causing dust concentrations to build. In these environments, sufficient air circulation is critical to ensure the effectiveness of the controls included on Table 1 and to prevent the accumulation of airborne dust. Thus, the standard requires a means of exhaust in those circumstances. The required “means of exhaust” could include: portable fans (e.g., box fans, floor fans, axial fans, oscillating fans), portable ventilation systems, or other systems that increase air movement and assist in the removal and dispersion of airborne dust. To be effective, the exhaust ventilation must be positioned to move dust away from workers’ breathing zones and set up so that movements of employees during work, or the opening of doors and windows, will not negatively affect the airflow. See 81 Fed. Reg. at 16721.
October 2018
Tags: OSHA, Exposure Control Methods