With decades of experience developing site-specific silica dust control programs, Midwest Industrial Supply, Inc. has joined and attended the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute Silica Vendor Workshop.
The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI), an industry leader and authority in the pressed concrete industry, has held a Silica Vendor Workshop for road and yard dust control solutions. Midwest joins the ranks of 153 suppliers that attended the PCI event centered around servicing and improving all aspects of the construction process.
Founded in 1954, PCI is the nation’s preeminent technical institute for the precast concrete structures industry. Over the years, PCI has compiled a robust set of resources and best practices regarding the design, fabrication, and construction of concrete structures and made it available to all sectors of the precast concrete industry. Having developed this body of knowledge over the course of so many decades, it’s no surprise that PCI has set many of today’s prevailing industry standards.
The Need to Reduce Harmful Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica
As we at Midwest understand, dust is more than just a nuisance when it comes to construction. With these fugitive particles come an array of potential risks, from health and environmental consequences to the erosion of a worksite.
This is especially true in precast concrete sites. Precast concrete describes a method of concrete cast into a mold, transported, and then put in place. While precast concrete is known to be a durable, cost-effective, and versatile construction material, complications usually arise during the construction process.
When workers drill, cut, or grind objects that contain crystalline silica, they release respirable-sized (PM2.5 and PM10) dust particles into the atmosphere. Surprisingly, road and yard dust is a significant contributor to silica exposure as well. These tiny particles pose a potential risk to the health and safety of workers, and can also compromise surrounding ecosystems. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recently set stricter limits on the acceptable amount of respirable silica to which companies can expose their employees, and non-complying companies could face stiff penalties in the near future. As a result, OSHA Crystalline Silica Rule compliance has never been more crucial.
Silica Dust Control Programs
To combat these challenges, Midwest has spent the past 40+ years establishing itself as the market leader in industrial dust control products and solutions. Working within the parameters set by each site in order to meet a client’s specific needs, Midwest has a long history of developing custom solutions and providing managed services for companies and worksites in the precast concrete industry.
Construction sites that utilize Midwest’s road and surface dust control products enjoy an array of benefits, such as a reduction in watering and grading, the conservation of resources and materials, improved visibility and safety, better community relations, environmental compliance, greater operational efficiency, and of course, worker protection from silica dust. The results speak for themselves: Midwest’s managed services and dust control solutions consistently outperform traditional watering methods.
The PCI’s Silica Vendor Workshop and Midwest attending for silica road and yard dust means that two longstanding authorities in the construction industry have teamed up to provide the resources, techniques, and expertise needed to ensure worker protection from silica as well as safe and efficient construction sites around the world.
For more information, read our press release on the announcement.
