Dust Controls for the Bagging of Dry Chemicals: A Case Study

Abstract

Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health have studied the control of dust exposures associated with packaging operations (filling of bags with a dry material and subsequent handling operations) to identify dust sources and to determine the effectiveness of some of the dust controls presently in use. This case study describes the evaluation of controls at one plant. The plant used force-flow packer units (packers) to fill bags with a dry powder on either a manual or automatic packaging system. Combinations of ventilation, booths, enclosures, hoppers, work practices, and other controls were used at this packaging operation. For this high volume packaging operation of a crystalline silica material, an automatic system with well-designed capture hoods and high exhaust ventilation rates provided dust control resulting in average personal respirable dust exposures below 0.2 mg/m³.