DUS/Specific/TBT-DUS-005

Cutting Concrete and Block

Dust & Silica › Specific › Cutting Concrete and Block

Presenter		Project
Location		Date

Cutting concrete, block, and masonry generates high levels of respirable crystalline silica dust.
Silica dust causes silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer.
Disc cutters, angle grinders, and wall chasers are the most common dust sources on site.
Dry cutting produces far more airborne dust than wet cutting and should be avoided.
The workplace exposure limit for silica is 0.1 mg/m3 over an 8-hour time-weighted average.
COSHH 2002 requires employers to assess silica exposure and implement effective controls.
Water suppression reduces dust by up to 90% when used correctly during cutting.
On-tool extraction systems capture dust at source and must use H-class vacuum units.
RPE alone is not sufficient — it is the last resort after engineering controls.
Health surveillance including lung function testing is required for regular silica exposure.

Prevent lung disease	Silicosis is irreversible and progressive — even short exposure causes lasting damage.
Legal duty	COSHH requires employers to control silica dust below the workplace limit.
Cancer risk	Respirable crystalline silica is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by IARC.
Health surveillance	Early detection through spirometry prevents workers developing disabling disease.

Don't

See also: Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) | On-Tool Extraction Systems

Generate professional Risk Assessment and Method Statements in minutes. 10 document formats, site-specific content, instant Word download.

Toolbox Talk Record