NIOSH releases beta version of silica monitoring software
Mines can now monitor worker exposure to hazardous respirable crystalline silica (RCS) more effectively, thanks to new software developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Mining Program in beta version. This novel, field-based tool called “FAST” (Field Analysis of Silica Tool), works together with commercially available FTIR analyzers (Fourier Transform Infrared) to determine a worker’s exposure to RCS dust, providing detailed results immediately following a worker’s shift.
Mineworkers face the danger of potential overexposure to respirable crystalline silica dust every day. Overexposure can lead to the development of diseases such as silicosis, lung cancer, coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) (commonly known as “black lung”), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These diseases are disabling, irreversible, and potentially fatal.