Heavy equipment and utility vehicles for demo activities
Using heavy equipment and utility vehicles for tasks such as demolishing, abrading, or fracturing silica-containing materials such as brick, block, and concrete can generate respirable crystalline silica dust. When inhaled, the small particles of silica can irreversibly damage the lungs.
Exposure controls needed in accordance with Appendix 4 of the Managing respirable crystalline silica in construction and manufacturing of construction elements code of practice 2022 (PDF, 1.71 MB) when using heavy equipment or utility vehicles for earthmoving used to cut, abrade or fracture or in demolition activities silica containing materials are explained below.
Step 1: Use suitable engineering controls
Engineering control options:
- Operate equipment from an enclosed cabin.
- If there are other workers outside of the cab, apply water and/or dust suppressants to minimise dust emissions.
Details of controls
Using an enclosed cab when operating heavy equipment and utility vehicles during demolition activities, or when fracturing and abrading silica-containing materials, can reduce operator exposures to silica dust. If other people are present, water and/or dust suppressants must be applied to minimise visible dust.
Operator isolation
Operators using heavy equipment and utility vehicles must stay inside an enclosed cab with the doors and windows closed while work is in progress. The cab must:
- be well-sealed and well-ventilated, using positive pressure
- have door jambs, window grooves, power line entries and other joints that work properly and are tightly sealed
- have heating and air conditioning so operators can keep windows and doors closed
- be regularly maintained and cleaned to prevent settled dust from become airborne inside the enclosure
- have HEPA filtration fitted to the intake and cabin recirculation air intake.
Wet methods
Wet methods for heavy equipment and utility vehicle operators include the use of any method of wet application that will suppress silica dust emissions and be compatible to the task. These include:
- tank trucks with hoses and nozzles that spray water or other dust suppressants over large areas to wet disturbed materials, including haul roads and job sites in general
- a worker who sprays water or other types of dust suppressants to materials being demolished, abraded, or fractured.
- spray equipment attached to the vehicle
- timing the application of the water or other dust suppressants to ensure the materials are still damp when they are disturbed.
Water must be applied at flow rates sufficient to minimise the release of visible dust. Too much water can create mud slurry that can cause hazards. Too little water will not effectively control dust emissions.
Worker outside the cab engaged in task
A worker who assists the operator by applying water or other types of dust suppressants to materials being demolished, abraded, or fractured.
Step 2: Select appropriate respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
The type of RPE you will need depends on:
- what type of engineering controls you are using
- how long the worker is going to do the task during the shift
- where the work is being undertaken.
RPE is not required while using heavy equipment for tasks to cut, abrade or fracture silica containing materials or demolition activities if the operator is in an enclosed cab. If there are other people in the area, RPE is required.
| Engineering control used | Time spent doing task during shift | |
|---|---|---|
| Equal or less than 4 hours | Greater than 4 hours | |
| Operator Isolation (Option 1) |
Indoors / enclosed area RPE not required |
Indoors / enclosed area RPE not required |
|
Indoors / enclosed area RPE not required |
Indoors / enclosed area RPE not required | |
| Worker applying dust suppression (Option 2) |
Outdoors P1 or P2 filtered RPE with a MPF 10 required |
Outdoors P1 or P2 filtered RPE with a MPF 10 required |
|
Indoors / enclosed area P1 or P2 filtered RPE with a MPF 10 required |
Indoors / enclosed area P1 or P2 filtered RPE with a MPF 10 required | |
Health monitoring
A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must provide health monitoring to a worker if their tasks require them to wear RPE 30 times or more in 12 months. See section 10 of the Code (PDF, 1.71 MB) for more information on health monitoring requirements.