[Rockhounds] airborne hazards

[J. R. Hodel]

HI:

An interesting discussion; we've seen this topic many times before
.
Many substances we handle and use every day can become hazards in special circumstances.  In the textile mills once so common in the south of the US people used to suffer from inhaled fiber fragments; my first jobs were in a printing plant run by my family in the 1960s and 70s, where they were just starting to attempt to protect pressmen from paper dust.

Locally (I live in sothern WV where the major (think only) industry is coal mining) one of the most severe common diseases of the mature male is pneumoconiosis  caused from exposure to coal dust.  I believe it has been shown that it doesn't take 35 years to have a pretty bad case of OPD from exposure to coal dust!  It is apparently pretty common in Kentucky today among young coal miners, less so in WV due to state-level regulatory authority.  The cost of our electricity (steel) is the blood of our miners.

Exposure to Talc can cause diseases more commonly thought to be caused by exposure to asbestos; the two minerals often occur together!  But there is a disease called talcosis.  Berylliosis is also a disease, but I suspect the uptake of beryllium into the system acting as a carcinogin is more dangerous than clogging your lungs with the powder. 

Another horrific industrial "accident" happened near here in central WV when a tunnel was drilled through a mountain for hydroelectric generation at Hawk's Nest.  The tunnel was drilled through sandstone that proved to be pure silica; it is not known exactly how many workers died as it behoved the company not to track such things.  

They widened the bore diameter of the tunnel in order to produce extra silica for sale, so they were totally aware of what they were drilling through.  They prohibited drillers from using water spray to keep down dust because it slowed drilling, and time is money.  Now-a-days when the local aggegate company delivers crushed stone, there is a warning about exposure to rock dust on the back of the weigh-bill.

I would rather use an exhaust hood than a mask, since I have a full beard (also pretty common in WV for some reason ;-) that would probably be more effective too.

Wood dust is also dangerous, more so for some trees than others.  Walnut is particularly poisonous, and using walnut sawdust for bedding with horses is a fatal error for the livestock. Many plants cannot grow under a walnut tree!  And poison ivy smoke can be fatal to those prone to that allergy...

Anyway, be careful with all dusts, smokes and fumes.  Welding can also be a dangerous occupation, I left the details out, look it up for yourself.  One of the first things they teach in a welding class!

But do keep on working!  Just be safe!  

JR in WV




       
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