Page 5 - July 2022 Track N Times

SAFETY FOCUS

Respirable Protection at Loram

By: Mitch Kruse, Manager, Environmental Health and Safety

Millions of workers across the world wear respirators every day to protect themselves against a
variety of airborne hazards including insufficient oxygen environments, welding fumes, chemical vapors/
gases, and harmful smokes, mists, and dusts. If exposed, these hazards may cause serious negative health
effects such as permanent lung impairment, central nervous system damage, cancer(s), or death. For these
reasons, it is incredibly important to make sure that respiratory protection is always worn appropriately
when there is a chance of potential exposure.
At Loram, the most common airborne hazard is respirable crystalline silica (RCS). Crystalline sili-
ca, also known as quartz, is one of the most abundant minerals on earth and is a primary component
found in ballast rock. As the ballast breaks down, through rail vibrations or our own machine operation,
the quartz particles are ground into an extremely fine dust. These particles, less than 10 microns in diam-
eter, can readily penetrate the deepest regions of the lungs known as the alveolus or air sacs. There, the
dust bioaccumulates and can cause the development of scar tissue effectively killing the organs over time.
This process is known as silicosis and develops due to prolonged exposure to RCS over the course of
many years. Although it typically takes years before signs of silicosis begin to manifest, acute symptoms to
be watchful for include severe disabling shortness of breath, cough, weakness, and weight loss.
While each Loram machine may have unique operations and potential sources of employee expo-
sure, the route of exposure, inhalation, is common among all. Because RCS only has serious negative
health effects if inhaled, exposure can be greatly mitigated through a combination of engineering and ad-
ministrative controls, as well as the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The Safety Department
has developed a series of machine specific RCS exposure control plans which outline: engineering con-
trols equipped on the machine, identified tasks that result in employee exposure, best work practices to
minimize employee exposure, and the PPE required to be worn for specific job functions. These plans
should be reviewed with all crewmembers and should be visibly posted on the machine. If you do not
have a copy of your machine’s exposure control plan, ask your superintendent or a member of the Safety
Department.
Enclosures, dust filters, and water sprayers only help to mitigate employee exposure if properly
maintained and used. Make sure that maintenance items such as window seals, water suppressions sys-
tems, and ventilation systems are prioritized. Similarly, respirators only function effectively when following
the manufactures instructions. As shown in Figure 1, RCS dust is much smaller than a single beard follicle.
Any facial hair obstructing the seal of the respirator needs to be shaved! Additionally, proper mainte-
nance, hygiene, and storage of your respirators is critically important. Make sure to remove all respirators

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