Abrasive Blasting (Sand Blasting)
Are you in danger of becoming a statistic?
From setting up equipment to clean-up tasks, abrasive blasting operators, pot tenders, and other helpers face a variety of serious hazard issues, including:
- Breathing silica, lead, and other potentially hazardous dusts from blasting materials, surface coatings, and substrates.
- Exposure to excessive noise, especially when blasting is done inside tanks and enclosed spaces.
- Dangerous work in confined spaces.
- Increased risk for trips and falls due to working at heights and around hoses and other obstacles.
- Possible eye and other impact injuries from the abrasive stream.
- Flammable or combustible(explosive) dust accumulations.
- Risk of inhaling fatal levels of carbon monoxide produced by overheated, oil-lubricated air compressors used to supply breathing air.
- Risk for muscle strain and overexertion due to awkward postures and high-force grips.
- Increased risk for heat stress due to personal protective equipment use.
Rules
General Rules
- Hazard Communication (Pre-GHS) (WAC 296-800-170)
- Outdoor Heat Exposure (Heat Stress) (WAC 296-62-095)
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) (WAC 296-800-160)
- Airborne Contaminants (Chapter 296-841, WAC)
- Respirators (Chapter 296-842, WAC)
- Hearing Loss Prevention (Noise) (Chapter 296-817, WAC)
- Confined Spaces (Chapter 296-809, WAC)
- Scaffolds (Chapter 296-874, WAC)
- Compressed Air Tools (WAC 296-807-140)
- Core Rules (Chapter 296-800, WAC)
- Elevating Work Platforms (Chapter 296-869, WAC)
- Abrasive Blasting (Chapter 296-818, WAC)
Rules for Specific Activities or Workplaces
- Asbestos (WAC 296-62 Part I-1)
- Cadmium (General Industry) (WAC 296-62-07405)
- Cadmium, Construction (WAC 296-155-174(14))
- Construction, Cadmium Or Cadmium-Containing Materials (WAC 296-155-174)
- Hexavalent Chromium (WAC 296-62 Part I-2)
- Lead (WAC 296-62-07521(4))
- Lead, Construction (WAC 296-155-17609)
- Longshore Stevedore - Prohibited Operations. (WAC 296-56-60247)
- Permissible exposure limits (PELs) - Airborne Contaminants (WAC 296-841-20025)
- Shipbuilding or Shipbreaking, Mechanical Paint Removers (WAC 296-304-03005)
- Shipyards, Ship Breaking, and Repair: Confined and enclosed spaces and other dangerous atmospheres in shipyard employment. (WAC 296-304-020)
Policies
Partial Body Entry Situations and the Confined Spaces Standard (WRD 12.40)- Occupational Exposure to Lead, Inspection and Compliance Procedures (WRD 84-12B )
- Washington Administrative Code 296-155-176, Lead Exposure in Construction—Inspection and Compliance Guidelines (WRD 95-1 )
- Warning Lines Used for Fall Protection in Construction (WRD 29.50)
- Scaffold and the Fall Protection Work Plan (WRD 30.20)
- Fall Protection Work Plan When Standard Guardrails Are Used (WRD 30.21)
- Outdoor Heat Exposure Enforcement Procedures (WRD 10.15)
- Enforcement and Consultation Guidance for Combustible Dust Hazards (WRD 12.85)
- Chromium VI (WRD 12.80)
- Personal Protective Equipment (WRD 5.15)
Training Materials
Videos
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Library.
Important:
Some videos may contain code violations or information inconsistent with Washington State's Safety & Health rules.
Many commercially produced safety and health videos are based on Federal OSHA Standards. Federal OSHA standards may not be as stringent as the Washington State Industrial Safety and Health Standards. Every effort has been made by the library to evaluate the videos before purchasing them. Safety and Health Standards may have changed since the time of purchase. The user assumes the responsibility of previewing the videos before showing and using it with a knowledgeable instructor.
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Other Resources
Please read an important message about links on this page.
Important:
"Links" to other information sources are provided as a courtesy, but we cannot vouch for or take responsibility for information contained beyond files administered by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. Links from this page do not represent or imply the endorsement of commercial products by the State of Washington, Labor and Industries, or by departmental staff. For more information, read L&I's Intended Usage policy.
- About Crystalline Silica (OSHA Fact Sheet)
- Abrasive Blasting (bulletin from Manitoba Safe Work)
- Abrasive Blasting (NIOSH topic page)
- Abrasive Blasting Hazards in Shipyard Employment (OSHA topic page)
- Blasting Booth Design Review Checklist (U.S. military)
- Control of Hazardous Dust During Tuckpointing (NIOSH)
- Eye and Face Protection eTool (OSHA)
- NIOSHTIC-2 Search Results
- Outdoor Heat Exposure FAQ
- Preventing Lead Poisoning in Radiator Repair Work (SHARP)
- Respiratory eTool (OSHA)
- Silica eTool (OSHA)
- The dangers of breathing silica dust (WorkSafeBC Hazard Alert)
- Types of Abrasives Used for Blasting (Helpful Tool)
Related Topics
- Asbestos
- Carbon Monoxide
- Hazard Communication and the Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
- Confined Space
- Ergonomics
- Eye Protection
- Lead
- Manlifts
- Respiratory Protection
- Hexavalent Chromium
- Silica
- Hearing Loss Prevention & Noise
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