NIOSH revises dust control handbook for industrial minerals mining, processing
Posted March 25, 2019
The NIOSH Mining Program of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Industrial Minerals Association-North America (IMA-NA) recently issued the second edition of the “Dust Control Handbook for Industrial Mineral Mining and Processing,” which was originally published in 2012.
Designed to provide information on proven and effective control technologies that lower workers’ dust exposures during all stages of minerals processing, the handbook describes both the dust-generating processes along with detailed information on control technologies that address all stages of the minerals handling process. This includes drilling, crushing, screening, conveyance, bagging, loadout, and transport.
NIOSH says that implementation of the engineering controls discussed can assist operators, health specialists, and workers in reaching the ultimate goal of eliminating pneumoconiosis and other occupational diseases caused by dust exposure in the mining industry.
Specific chapters include:
- Fundamentals of dust collection systems
- Wet spray systems
- Drilling and blasting
- Crushing, milling, and screening
- Conveying and transport
- Bagging
- Bulk loading
- Controls for secondary sources
- Filtration and pressurization systems for environmental enclosures
- Haul roads, stockpiles, and exposed areas
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