6
SUMMARY
Of course, eliminating or reducing the production of dust
must be considered as the most effective way to reduce this
hazard according to the hierarchy of controls illustrated in
Figure 3. The use of dust suppression, especially with added
surfactants, will also work to eliminate the hazard. The most
effective surfactants will allow water to quickly wet the dust
particles to cause them to aggregate with the water droplets
and return to the bulk material. In the future, however, we
must also consider the toxicity of the particulate surfaces
as we have better understanding of the presence of ROS
on dust particle surfaces, including in respirable dust/water
droplet aggregates that can still be airborne, entering work-
ers’ lungs. Additives are being investigated to reduce the
ROS hazard (30).
Site housekeeping and maintenance, whether under-
ground or on the surface, are critical parts of any dust
suppression system whether it is for silica, coal, or other
minerals and materials. This cannot be stressed enough.
An overall plan for dust suppression should be devel-
oped by:
• Removing the hazard (through reduced dust produc-
tion, but through dust suppression and the applica-
tion of surfactants)
• Isolating people using engineering controls, chang-
ing the way people work (through automation and
removing people from the dust laden areas), and
• Using effective personal protective equipment.
Comprehensive dust suppression plans will reduce worker
exposure and reduce the incidence of silicosis and other
debilitating lung diseases.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Katherine Seidel, Penn State Environmental Systems
Engineering student, collected the quartz contact angle
and zeta potential information during her Summer
2022 Research Internship in the John and Willie Leone
Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering at Penn
State.
Data provided in Tables 3 and 4 were devel-
oped during a NIOSH study supported by NIOSH
BAA:75D301-21-R-71744.
REFERENCES
[1] Heany, P.J. and J. A Banfield (1993), “Structure and
Chemistry of Silica, Metal Oxides, and Phosphates,”
Chapter 5 in Health Effects of Mineral Dusts, Reviews
in Mineralogy, Volume 28, pp. 185–233.
[2] Organiscak, J.A., S.J., and R.A Jankowski (1990),
Sources and Characteristics of Quartz Dust in Coal
Mines, US Bureau of Mines, IC-9271.
[3] Fubini, B. (1998), “Surface Chemistry and Quartz
Hazard,” Ann. Occup. Hyg., 31(7) 410–429.
[4] Donaldson, K.E.N. and P.J.A Borm (1998), “The
quartz hazard: a variable entity,” Ann. Occup. Hyg.,
42(5) 287–294.
[5] Hochella, M.F. (1993). “Surface Chemistry, Structure,
and Reactivity of Hazardous Mineral Dust,” Chapter
8 in Health Effects of Mineral Dusts, Reviews in
Mineralogy, Volume 28, pp. 275–308.
[6] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,
and Medicine (2018), Monitoring and Sampling
Approaches to Assess Underground Coal Mine
Dust Exposures. Washington, DC: The National
Academies Press. doi.org/10.17226/25111.
[7] Hall, N.B., D.J. Blackley, C.N. Halldin, and A.S.
Laney (2018), “Continued increase in prevalence of
r-type opacities among underground coal miners in
the USA,” Occup Environ Med, Epub ahead of print,
May 1, 2019. doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2019-105691.
[8] Hall, N.B., D.J. Blackley, C.N. Halldin, and A.S.
Laney (2019), “Current Review of Pneumoconiosis
Among US Coal Miners.” Curr Environ health
Rep, 6(3), pp. 137–147 doi.org/10.1007/s40572
-019-00237-5.
[9] D.J. Blackley, C.N. Halldin, and A.S. Laney (2018),
“Continued increase in prevalence of coal workers’
pneumoconiosis in the U.S., 1970–2017,” Am J Public
Health, Published online ahead of print. July 19,
2018, e1-e3. doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304517.
Figure 3. Hierarchy of Controls for Reducing Workplace
Hazards (41)
SUMMARY
Of course, eliminating or reducing the production of dust
must be considered as the most effective way to reduce this
hazard according to the hierarchy of controls illustrated in
Figure 3. The use of dust suppression, especially with added
surfactants, will also work to eliminate the hazard. The most
effective surfactants will allow water to quickly wet the dust
particles to cause them to aggregate with the water droplets
and return to the bulk material. In the future, however, we
must also consider the toxicity of the particulate surfaces
as we have better understanding of the presence of ROS
on dust particle surfaces, including in respirable dust/water
droplet aggregates that can still be airborne, entering work-
ers’ lungs. Additives are being investigated to reduce the
ROS hazard (30).
Site housekeeping and maintenance, whether under-
ground or on the surface, are critical parts of any dust
suppression system whether it is for silica, coal, or other
minerals and materials. This cannot be stressed enough.
An overall plan for dust suppression should be devel-
oped by:
• Removing the hazard (through reduced dust produc-
tion, but through dust suppression and the applica-
tion of surfactants)
• Isolating people using engineering controls, chang-
ing the way people work (through automation and
removing people from the dust laden areas), and
• Using effective personal protective equipment.
Comprehensive dust suppression plans will reduce worker
exposure and reduce the incidence of silicosis and other
debilitating lung diseases.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Katherine Seidel, Penn State Environmental Systems
Engineering student, collected the quartz contact angle
and zeta potential information during her Summer
2022 Research Internship in the John and Willie Leone
Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering at Penn
State.
Data provided in Tables 3 and 4 were devel-
oped during a NIOSH study supported by NIOSH
BAA:75D301-21-R-71744.
REFERENCES
[1] Heany, P.J. and J. A Banfield (1993), “Structure and
Chemistry of Silica, Metal Oxides, and Phosphates,”
Chapter 5 in Health Effects of Mineral Dusts, Reviews
in Mineralogy, Volume 28, pp. 185–233.
[2] Organiscak, J.A., S.J., and R.A Jankowski (1990),
Sources and Characteristics of Quartz Dust in Coal
Mines, US Bureau of Mines, IC-9271.
[3] Fubini, B. (1998), “Surface Chemistry and Quartz
Hazard,” Ann. Occup. Hyg., 31(7) 410–429.
[4] Donaldson, K.E.N. and P.J.A Borm (1998), “The
quartz hazard: a variable entity,” Ann. Occup. Hyg.,
42(5) 287–294.
[5] Hochella, M.F. (1993). “Surface Chemistry, Structure,
and Reactivity of Hazardous Mineral Dust,” Chapter
8 in Health Effects of Mineral Dusts, Reviews in
Mineralogy, Volume 28, pp. 275–308.
[6] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,
and Medicine (2018), Monitoring and Sampling
Approaches to Assess Underground Coal Mine
Dust Exposures. Washington, DC: The National
Academies Press. doi.org/10.17226/25111.
[7] Hall, N.B., D.J. Blackley, C.N. Halldin, and A.S.
Laney (2018), “Continued increase in prevalence of
r-type opacities among underground coal miners in
the USA,” Occup Environ Med, Epub ahead of print,
May 1, 2019. doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2019-105691.
[8] Hall, N.B., D.J. Blackley, C.N. Halldin, and A.S.
Laney (2019), “Current Review of Pneumoconiosis
Among US Coal Miners.” Curr Environ health
Rep, 6(3), pp. 137–147 doi.org/10.1007/s40572
-019-00237-5.
[9] D.J. Blackley, C.N. Halldin, and A.S. Laney (2018),
“Continued increase in prevalence of coal workers’
pneumoconiosis in the U.S., 1970–2017,” Am J Public
Health, Published online ahead of print. July 19,
2018, e1-e3. doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304517.
Figure 3. Hierarchy of Controls for Reducing Workplace
Hazards (41)