Casting technology incorporates a significant number of materials in which the Silica (SiO2) is the most abundant component. The effects of on health is related with the exposure of breathable dust, the dust fraction which can enter the lungs, originating respiratory diseases such as silicosis, a nodular fibrosis caused by gradual sedimentation of respirable crystalline silica particles in the lungs.
During the last two years, a team of specialists from IK4-AZTERLAN has been intensively working with a significant number of foundries, along with an important refractory material supplier and an occupational risk prevention company, in order to evaluate the crystalline silica impact in various stages of the casting process, and using different molding technologies and melting raw materials.
The results of the project are focused on the identification of improvement opportunities and the evaluation of efficiency with regard to the implementation of best available techniques in order to decrease the worker’s exposure below Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) and thus, ensuring protection against silica exposure.
