N.J. Admin. Code § 12:185-31.2

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 23, December 2, 2024

Section 12:185-31.2 - Dust control

(a) Sampling and determination

1. The free silicon dioxide content of stone shall be determined from composite samples representative of the material as a whole. When different kinds of stone are handled or processed separately, each shall be sampled and classified separately.

2. Not less than three dust samples, of at least ten minutes duration, spaced at intervals to yield a fair average measurement of exposure over the entire cycle of operations, shall be collected in the normal breathing zone on the premises by an approved type impinger.

3. The atmospheric dust concentration shall be deemed to be the average concentration, as determined from the samples by the use of the light-field, low power technic count or its equivalent.

4. Where, because of the nature of the operations, it is not practicable to secure samples of ten minutes duration, the use of any other method providing equivalent representative samples shall be permitted.

(b) Methods

1. Wherever it is required to control the concentration of atmospheric dust, such method of dust control shall be by one of, or combinations of, the following methods:

i. Local exhaust systems, as provided in Section 31.3 (Local exhaust systems) of this Chapter;

ii. Wet method of control, as provided in Section 31.4 (Wet method of dust control) of this Chapter;

iii. General ventilation, as provided in Section 31.5 (General ventilation) of this Chapter;

iv. Respiratory protective equipment, as provided in Section 31.6 (Respiratory protective equipment) of this Chapter;

v. Any other method, or methods, approved by the Commissioner.

(c) Approval and tests

1. Within a reasonable length of time prior to the completion of the installation, the employer shall notify the Commissioner in writing and shall, in the presence of a representative, subject the installation to the test prescribed herein.

2. All tests for the approval of dust control methods shall be made when all machines and other processes to which the control methods being tested apply, are in normal operation and have been so operated for a period of not less than one hour prior to the start of the tests, except in those cases where the time required to complete the cycle of operations under test does not permit this initial pretest period of one hour.

3. Atmospheric dust counts shall be made at various points representative of the exposure of the workers except that when several workers are engaged in the same operations which are provided with the same kind of control measures, tests may be made at a single exposure, which is representative of the group.

4. All tests for atmospheric dust concentrations shall be made in accordance with (a) above.

N.J. Admin. Code § 12:185-31.2

Amended by R.2006 d.428, effective 12/4/2006.
See: 38 N.J.R. 3130(a), 38 N.J.R. 5165(b).
Recodified 31.2.1 through 31.2.3 as (a) through (c), 31.2.1.1 through 31.2.1.4 as (a)1 through (a)4, 31.2.2.1 as (b)1, 31.2.2.1a through 31.2.2.1e as (b)1i through (b)1v and 31.2.3.1 through 31.2.3.4 as (c)1 through (c)4; and in (c)4, substituted "(a) above" for "subsection 31.2.1 of this Section".