Crystalline silica is a common mineral found in the earth’s crust. Materials like sand, stone, concrete and mortar contain crystalline silica. It is also used to make products such as glass, pottery, ceramics, bricks and artificial stone.
Respirable crystalline silica — very small particles at least 100 times smaller than ordinary sand — is created when cutting, sawing, grinding, drilling and crushing stone, rock, concrete, brick, block and mortar. Activities such as sawing brick or concrete; sanding or drilling into concrete walls; grinding mortar; cutting asphalt; and cutting or crushing stone all result in worker exposures to respirable crystalline silica dust.
