Exposure to quartz at the workplace (BGIA-Report 8/2006e)

Abstract: The aim of this report from the BGIA – Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance is to present summarised information on respirable quartz dust at the workplace. The statistical evaluation concentrates on 100 000 measurements recorded by the German Berufsgenossenschaften (Institutions for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention) and stored in the BGIA’s MEGA exposure database (Measuring data on exposure to hazardous substances at the workplace). Information is covered from 1972 onwards, when the VC 25F system was introduced as a standard measuring equipment for dust. For the purposes of this report, the readings have been broken down into sectors and further into areas of work. When there are sufficient data available, they are also presented in separate time periods up to 2004. They are supplemented by explanatory notes on activities subject to quartz exposure, work processes, exposure trends, how to implement protective measures and on the latest state of the art. Hence they provide a register for prevention in each area of work, as well as a retrospective overview of exposure to dust.