MILWAUKEE TOOL
13135 West Lisbon Road • Brookfield WI 53005 • 262-781-3600
To Whom It May Concern,
Milwaukee®, in partnership with Industrial Hygiene Sciences, LLC, has conducted testing on the Milwaukee M18™
FUEL™ 3-in-1 Backpack Vacuum (0885-20) paired with the M18™ FUEL™ 4-1/2” – 5” Small Angle Grinder (2780-
20), Cutting Dust Shroud (49-40-6110), and 4-1/2” Diamond Premium Turbo Saw Blade (49-93-8008). Results show that
the user will be below the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) as described by OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1153 when using the
above combination, assuming it is used in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. Testing results and procedures are
outlined below:
• All cutting was performed using a Milwaukee M18™ FUEL™ 3-in-1 Backpack Vacuum (0885-20) paired with
the M18™ FUEL™ 4-1/2” – 5” Small Angle Grinder (2780-20), Cutting Dust Shroud (49-40-6110), and 4-1/2”
Diamond Premium Turbo Saw Blade (49-93-8008)
• The cutting was completed with the operator kneeling in front of a block and made horizontal cuts
• Vacuum was turned to mode 1
• HEPA filter was cleaned every 10 minutes with the following method
o User removed canister from unit and took off the cap that sits above the HEPA filter. The cap was used to
clean the filter by tapping downward aggressively 4 times on top of the filter while it was still in the
canister. The canister was then emptied into a garbage can at foot level.
• Concrete blocks were poured from a 5000 PSI concrete mix.
• The room size was 12’9” x 26’5” x 8’
• The room surfaces were wiped down between trials to ensure accurate measurements
• Samples were collected on 3 piece 37 mm diameter preweighed PVC filter mounted in a BGI GK2.69 respirable
dust sampler, run at 4.2 lpm and connected to a Gilian 10i air sampling pump. A field blank was submitted with
each day’s set of samples.
• Samples were analyzed using OSHA ID-142 by the Wisconsin Occupational Health Laboratory, an AIHA
Accredited laboratory. The sampling method used meets the definition of respirable crystalline silica in
1926.1153 (a) and Appendix A of the OSHA Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard (1926.1153).
• The Time Weighted Average (TWA) was calculated assuming zero exposure to respirable crystalline silica for the
non-sampled portion of a 480 minute (8 hour) shift. Longer exposure times, assuming that the dust exposures
would be similar to those collected in these trials, would likely result in higher TWAs. Factors, including, but not
limited to the ventilation and air flow patterns in the space where the work is done, how flat the grinder is held,
the condition of the shroud brush, the silica content of the concrete, how much grinding was done when the
shroud is not on a full, flat surface, the presence of other respirable silica dust generating activities in the area,
how often the user knocks collected dust from the HEPA filter, how aggressively the HEPA filter is knocked off
and how the vacuum is cleaned could affect actual user exposures.
Unit Tested Average Linear Feet Cut
Average Sample
Duration
% Silica (Quartz)
in Sample
Average Respirable
Crystalline Silica
Conce ntration (μg/m³)
OSHA PEL in
1926.1153
28 Feet 60 12.3 21.6 μg/m³ TWA 50 μg/m³
*A 7/8 cutting depth X 1/8” cutting width reflects the highest dust generating application for this tool, suggesting that
other wheel depths and widths would also be compliant when using the Milwaukee M18™ FUEL™ 3-in-1 Backpack
Vacuum
Details on how to properly implement as a part of a complete exposure plan are outlined below*:
1/16"
5/64"
1/8"
1/4”
196 156 98
1/2”
98 78 49
3/4”
65 52 32
7/8”
56 44 28
* These calculations are offered for reference and are calculated values based on previously recorded test data and
represent a full work day of the tested application
** The user must drill the same number or fewer holes than those listed above for the given application in order to be
considered compliant with the objective data clause of 29 CFR 1926.1153 OSHA regulation on crystalline silica dust.
It is the responsibility of the user to operate the tool in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. For the latest listings
of approvals, visit milwaukeetool.com. For technical or service assistance, contact Milwaukee Customer Service at 1-800729-3878.
Cutting Width
Cutting Depth
Maximum Number of Feet cut per Hour **
Loading...