Evaluation of Control Method Failures for Exposure to Sandblasting Silica Dust in a Steel Construction Company, Indonesia

Silica is one of the materials most commonly used for sandblasting in steel construction. Occupational diseases caused by exposure to silica dust occur in several countries, both developed and developing. In order to prevent the occurrence of such diseases, some developed countries have regulated methods to control exposure to silica dust, but in developing countries like Indonesia, methods of controlling exposure to silica dust are not regulated and upper respiratory infection among sandblasting workers still happens. This study aimed to evaluate the failure of implementing methods of controlling exposure to silica dust during sandblasting in a steel construction company in Indonesia. Aspects that were evaluated included control efforts such as the control equipment, ventilation systems, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and the concentration of silica dust in the workplace. The evaluation was conducted by comparing the expected targets of the control efforts with the concentration of silica dust in the workplace. Evaluation results showed that the control methods are sufficient when viewed from the performance of the equipment used. However, in general, the control measures were not effective because high concentrations of silica dust were found in the workplace because the implementation of the SOPs was not optimal, and the disparity or variation in the workers understanding of the application of the SOPs. Therefore, the understanding of the procedures and supervision of sandblasting should be increased.