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Free toolbox talk: silica dust
A one-page safety talk for any week the crew cuts, grinds or drills concrete, brick, block, stone or tile. Why silica dust is dangerous, six key points tied to OSHA’s construction silica rule, three questions for the crew and a sign-in block. Read it here or print this page.
Silica Dust
Why it matters. Cutting, grinding or drilling concrete, brick, block, stone and some tile makes respirable crystalline silica, which causes silicosis, lung cancer and kidney disease.
Key points
- OSHA's silica PEL is 50 µg/m³ as an 8-hour average, and the action level is 25 µg/m³ (1926.1153).
- Use the controls in Table 1 for your task, such as water on the blade or a shroud with a dust collector, or assess exposures another way (1926.1153(c), (d)).
- The employer needs a written exposure control plan and a competent person to carry it out (1926.1153(g)).
- No dry sweeping or dry brushing where it could contribute to exposure when feasible alternatives exist. No compressed air to clean clothes or surfaces unless used with ventilation that captures the dust (1926.1153(f)).
- Keep water flowing and vacuums working. A dry cut 'just this once' still exposes you.
- Wear the respirator Table 1 requires for the task and the time you are cutting.
Ask the crew
- Which tasks this week create silica dust?
- What dust control does each of those tools have, and is it working?
- How do we clean up concrete dust without sweeping it dry?
Reference: 29 CFR 1926.1153 | osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.1153
Sign-in
Date ______ · Job site ______ · Talk leader ______
| # | Printed name | Signature | Company / trade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||
| 2 | |||
| 3 | |||
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| 5 |
The printable PDF has 12 sign-in lines.
How to run it
- Hold it next to the saw, grinder or core drill the crew will use this week, not in the truck.
- Check that tool’s dust control together: is the water feed flowing, or is the shroud and vacuum attached and pulling?
- Say which respirator, if any, the task needs and how long the crew will be cutting.
- Agree how dust gets cleaned up (wet methods or a HEPA vacuum, never dry sweeping), ask the three questions, then have everyone sign and file the page with your safety records.
A training aid that supplements your safety program. Not a substitute for required training, a written safety program, a site-specific hazard assessment, or a competent or qualified person where OSHA requires one. OSHA references are federal (29 CFR 1926 and related parts), checked October 2026; state-plan states may have stricter rules. Not legal advice.
Want a talk for every week of the year?
Toolbox Talks: 52 Weekly Crew Safety Talks has this talk plus 51 more in the same one-page format (falls, ladders, scaffolds, trenches, electrical, tools, respirators, lead, asbestos, cold stress, struck-by and more), a sign-in log and a 52-week tracker spreadsheet. $29 one-time. This talk, the trench safety talk and the ladder setup talk stay free either way.
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