Moldex 2800N95 User Manual

MOLDEX SOLUTIONS FOR NEW SILICA STANDARDS

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a final rule to help curb various silica-related diseases including silicosis in
America’s workers by limiting their exposure to respirable crystalline silica.

About 2.3 million workers are exposed to respirable crystalline silica in their workplaces, including 2 million construction workers who drill, cut, crush, or
grind silica-containing materials such as concrete and stone, and 300,000 workers in general industry operations such as brick manufacturing,
foundries, and hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking.

Key Provisions Of New Standards With Regard To Respiratory Protection:

• Reduces the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for respirable crystalline silica to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, averaged over an 8-hour shift.

• Requires employers to provide respirators when engineering controls cannot adequately limit exposure

Moldex Solution: In most cases, Moldex half mask N95 respirators (disposable or reusable) may be used, in conjunction with the other elements of a
comprehensive compliance program.

DISPOSABLE

2200 N95 Series – Classic 2-Strap
2200N95 – Med/Lg 2201N95 – Small 2207N95 – Low Profile

2300 N95 Series – Classic 2-Strap w/ exhale valve
2300N95 – Med/Lg 2301N95 – Small 2307N95 – Low Profile

2400 & 2500 N95 Series – Relief from nuisance levels of Organic

Vapors (2400) or Acid Gases (2500), classic 2-strap w/ exhale valve

2400N95 – Med/Lg 2500N95 – Med/Lg

2600 N95 Series – Hangable cloth HandyStrap
2600N95 – Med/Lg 2601N95 – Small 2607N95 – Low Profile

2700 N95 Series – Hangable cloth HandyStrap®, w/ Ventex® valve
2700N95 – Med/Lg 2701N95 – Small 2707N95 – Low Profile

2800 N95 Series – Relief from nuisance levels of Organic Vapors,

hangable cloth HandyStrap®, w/ Ventex® valve
2800N95 – Med/Lg 2801N95 – Small

®

REUSABLE

7000 Half Mask
7001 – Small
7002 – Medium
7003 – Large

7800 Silicone
Half Mask
7801 – Small
7802 – Medium
7803 – Large

®

4200 N95 Series – Classic 2-Strap
4200 N95 – Med/Lg
4201 N95 – Small

4600 N95 Series – Adjustable,

hangable SmartStrap

4600 N95 – Med/Lg
4601 N95 – Small

4800 N95 Series – Relief from

nuisance levels of Organic Vapors,
adjustable, hangable SmartStrap®,
soft full foam flange
4800 N95 – Med/Lg

®

9000 Full Face
9001 – Small
9002 – Medium
9003 – Large

SMART STRAP

Adjustable

Simply pull straps

for a custom fit

Hangable

Break the take

off and toss habit

Filter Disk
7940 – P100
7950 – P100 Plus

Nuisance OV/AG
7960 – P100 Plus
Nuisance OV

Currently only Moldex P100 filter disks can be used as a stand-alone particulate filter with the 7000, 7800 and 9000 Series reusable respirators. 8910 N95 filter disks can be used
as a stand-alone filter with the Moldex 8000 Series respirators fitted with the 8900 Filter Disk Holder.

Please note: Under the construction standard in Table 1, some operations require a respirator with an APF of 25. In such cases, a Moldex 9000 Series full facepiece respirator
fitted with an N95 pre-filter plus gas/vapor cartridge or P100 filter disk, as a minimum, must be used.

IMPORTANT – The OSHA Silica Standards are a minimum. An employer can provide their employees with a respirator even though the standard may not require it. As always, when
the employer provides an employee with a respirator they must comply with 29CFR1910.134, and any other Federal, State or Local regulations, as appropriate. Moldex respirators
MUST NEVER be used for sandblasting or for any associated applications where direct exposure to sandblasting may occur and the employer must refer to the
respective OSHA regulations when sandblasting.

MOLDEX-METRIC, INC. 10111 W. Jefferson Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232
Tel: [phone] or [phone] Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] www.moldex.com

Moldex Technical Service Department: [phone] or [phone] Ext. 512/550

FactSheet

Workers’ Exposure to Respirable Crystalline
Silica: Final Rule Overview

More than 2 million workers gain protections from deadly dust

Background

Workplace illness takes the lives of thousands
of workers each year. Those workers and their
families rely on the U.S. Department of Labor’s
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
to set and enforce standards that reduce the
risk to those workers of contracting illnesses or
suffering injuries on the job, so that no worker
is forced to sacrifice their life or health for
their livelihood. Respirable crystalline silica is
particularly hazardous for the nation’s workers.

Workers who inhale very small crystalline silica
particles are at increased risk of developing
serious — and often deadly — silica-related
diseases. These tiny particles (known as
“respirable” particles) can penetrate deep
into workers’ lungs and cause silicosis, an
incurable and sometimes fatal lung disease.
Crystalline silica exposure also puts workers at
risk for developing lung cancer, other potentially
debilitating respiratory diseases such as chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney
disease. Approximately 2.3 million people in the
U.S. are exposed to silica at work.

To better protect workers from dangerous
crystalline silica, OSHA has finalized two new
silica standards: one for general industry
and maritime, and the other for construction.
These rules are based on extensive review
of peer-reviewed scientific evidence, current
industry consensus standards, an extensive
public outreach effort, and nearly a year of
public comment, including several weeks of
public hearings. They provide commonsense,
affordable and flexible strategies for employers
to protect workers in their workplaces from the
serious risks posed by silica exposure.

OSHA estimates these standards will save the
lives of more than 600 workers each year and
prevent more than 900 cases of silicosis each
year once the full effects of the rule are realized.

What is crystalline silica?

Crystalline silica is a common mineral that is
found in materials that we see every day in
roads, buildings, and sidewalks. It is a common
component of sand, stone, rock, concrete, brick,
block, and mortar.

• Exposures to crystalline silica dust occur in
common workplace operations involving
cutting, sawing, drilling, and crushing of
concrete, brick, block, rock, and stone
products (such as construction tasks), and
operations using sand products (such as in
glass manufacturing, foundries, sand blasting,
and hydraulic fracturing).

Why do we need new silica standards?

• We have known about the dangers of silica for
decades. More than 80 years ago, U.S. Secretary
of Labor Frances Perkins first brought experts
and stakeholders together to determine the best
ways to protect workers from silica.

• OSHA’s current permissible exposure limits for
silica are more than 40 years old. They are based
on research from the 1960s and earlier that do
not reflect more recent scientific evidence.

• Strong evidence shows that the current
exposure limits do not adequately protect
worker health. For example, since the current
exposure limits were adopted, respirable
crystalline silica exposure has been found to
cause lung cancer and kidney disease at the
levels currently permitted.

• Many employers are already implementing
the necessary measures to protect their
workers from silica exposure. The technology
for most employers to meet the new
standards is widely available and affordable.

How will the rule protect workers?

• The rule significantly reduces the amount of
silica dust that workers can be exposed to on
the job. That means that employers will have

to implement controls and work practices that
reduce workers’ exposure to silica dust. For
most activities, that means that employers will
have to ensure that silica dust is wetted down or
vacuumed up before workers can breathe it in.

• Employers are required under the rule to
limit access to high exposure areas, provide
training, provide respiratory protection when
controls are not enough to limit exposure,
provide written exposure control plans,
and measure exposures in some cases.
Employers are also required to offer medical
examinations to highly exposed workers.
Workers who find out they have an illness,
such as lung disease, can use that information
to make employment or lifestyle decisions to
protect their health.

• Concrete products

• Foundries

• Dental laboratories

• Paintings and coatings

• Jewelry production

• Refractory products

• Ready-mix concrete

• Cut stone and stone products

• Abrasive blasting in maritime, construction,
and general industry

• Refractory furnace installation and repair

• Railroad transportation

• Oil and gas operations

Additional information

Additional information on OSHA’s silica rule can
be found at www.osha.gov/silica.

How will OSHA help employers comply
with the rule to protect their workers?

• The rule provides flexibility to help employers —
especially small businesses — protect workers
from silica exposure, with staggered compliance
dates to ensure sufficient time to meet the
requirements. Employers have from one to five
years to get the right protections in place.

• The rule includes special flexibility for the
construction industry. For the most common
tasks in construction, OSHA has spelled
out exactly how to best protect workers. If
employers follow those specifications, they
can be sure that they are providing their
workers with the required level of protection.
If they have better ideas about how to provide
protection, they can do that too — as long as
they make sure that their methods effectively
reduce their workers’ exposure to silica dust.

What industries are affected?

Affected industries include:

• Construction

• Glass manufacturing

• Pottery products

• Structural clay products

OSHA can provide extensive help through
a variety of programs, including technical
assistance about effective safety and health
programs, workplace consultations, and training
and education.

OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program offers free
and confidential occupational safety and health
services to small and medium-sized businesses in
all states and several territories across the country,
with priority given to high-hazard worksites.
On-site consultation services are separate from
enforcement and do not result in penalties or
citations. Consultants from state agencies or
universities work with employers to identify
workplace hazards, provide advice on compliance
with OSHA standards, and assist in establishing
and improving safety and health management
systems. To locate the OSHA On-site Consultation
Program nearest you, call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742)
or visit www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness.

For more information on this and other health­related issues impacting workers, to report an
emergency, fatality, inpatient hospitalization, or to
file a confidential complaint, contact your nearest
OSHA office, visit www.osha.gov, or call OSHA at
1-800-321-OSHA (6742), TTY 1-877-889-5627.

This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or
standards. It does not impose any new compliance requirements. For a comprehensive list of
compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations, refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal
Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory-impaired individuals upon request.
The voice phone is [phone]; teletypewriter (TTY) number: [phone].

DSG FS -3 683 0 3/ 2016

FactSheet

OSHA’s Crystalline Silica Rule:
Construction

OSHA is issuing two standards to protect workers from exposure to respirable
crystalline silica—one for construction, and the other for general industry and
maritime—in order to allow employers to tailor solutions to the specific conditions
in their workplaces.

Who is affected by the construction
standard?

About two million construction workers are
exposed to respirable crystalline silica in over
600,000 workplaces. OSHA estimates that more
than 840,000 of these workers are exposed to
silica levels that exceed the new permissible
exposure limit (PEL).

Exposure to respirable crystalline silica can
cause silicosis, lung cancer, other respiratory
diseases, and kidney disease. Exposure can occur
during common construction tasks such as using
masonry saws, grinders, drills, jackhammers
and handheld powered chipping tools; operating
vehicle-mounted drilling rigs; milling; operating
crushing machines; and using heavy equipment
for demolition or certain other tasks.

The construction standard does not apply where
exposures will remain low under any foreseeable
conditions; for example, when only performing
tasks such as mixing mortar; pouring concrete
footers, slab foundation and foundation walls;
and removing concrete formwork.

What does the standard require?

The standard requires employers to limit worker
exposures to respirable crystalline silica and to
take other steps to protect workers.

The standard provides flexible alternatives,
especially useful for small employers. Employers
can either use a control method laid out in Table 1
of the construction standard, or they can measure
workers’ exposure to silica and independently
decide which dust controls work best to limit
exposures to the PEL in their workplaces.

Regardless of which exposure control method is
used, all construction employers covered by the
standard are required to:

Without dust controls, using a handheld power saw to cut concrete
can expose workers to high levels of respirable crystalline silica.

• Establish and implement a written exposure
control plan that identifies tasks that involve

exposure and methods used to protect workers,
including procedures to restrict access to work
areas where high exposures may occur.

• Designate a competent person to implement
the written exposure control plan.

• Restrict housekeeping practices that expose
workers to silica where feasible alternatives
are available.

• Offer medical exams – including chest X-rays
and lung function tests – every three years for

Photo: NIOSH

workers who are required by the standard to
wear a respirator for 30 or more days per year.

• Train workers on work operations that result
in silica exposure and ways to limit exposure.

• Keep records of workers’ silica exposure and
medical exams.

What is Table 1?

Table 1 matches common construction tasks with
dust control methods, so employers know exactly
what they need to do to limit worker exposures
to silica. The dust control measures listed in the
table include methods known to be effective, like
using water to keep dust from getting into the
air or using ventilation to capture dust. In some
operations, respirators may also be needed.

Employers who follow Table 1 correctly are not
required to measure workers’ exposure to silica
and are not subject to the PEL.

Table 1 Example: Handheld Power Saws

If workers are sawing silica-containing materials,
they can use a saw with a built-in system that
applies water to the saw blade. The water limits
the amount of respirable crystalline silica that
gets into the air.

Table 1: Specified Exposure Control Methods
When Working with Materials Containing
Crystalline Silica

Equipment/
Task

Handheld
power saws
(any blade
diameter)

Engineering and
Work Practice
Control Methods

Use saw equipped
with integrated
water delivery
system that
continuously feeds
water to the blade.

Operate and
maintain tool in
accordance with
manufacturer’s
instructions to
minimize dust
emissions.

• When used
outdoors.

• When used
indoors or in an
enclosed area.

Required

Respiratory

Protection

and Minimum

Assigned

Protection

Factor (APF)

≤ 4 hrs/

shift

None

APF 10

> 4 hrs/

shift

APF 10

APF 10

In this example, if a worker uses the saw
outdoors for four hours or less per day, no
respirator would be needed. If a worker uses the
saw for more than four hours per day or any time
indoors, he or she would need to use a respirator
with an assigned protection factor (APF) of at
least 10. In this case, a NIOSH-certified filtering
facepiece respirator that covers the nose and
mouth (sometimes referred to as a dust mask)
could be used. If a worker needs to use a
respirator on 30 or more days a year, he or she
would need to be offered a medical exam.

Alternative exposure control methods

Employers who do not use control methods on
Table 1 must:

• Measure the amount of silica that workers are
exposed to if it may be at or above an action

level of 25 μg/m3 (micrograms of silica per

cubic meter of air), averaged over an eight­hour day.

• Protect workers from respirable crystalline
silica exposures above the permissible

exposure limit of 50 μg/m3, averaged over an

eight-hour day.

• Use dust controls to protect workers from
silica exposures above the PEL.

• Provide respirators to workers when dust
controls cannot limit exposures to the PEL.

When are employers required to comply
with the standard?

Construction employers must comply with all
requirements of the standard by June 23, 2017,
except requirements for laboratory evaluation of
exposure samples, which begin on June 23, 2018.

Additional information

Additional information on OSHA’s silica rule can
be found at www.osha.gov/silica.

OSHA can provide extensive help through a variety
of programs, including technical assistance about
effective safety and health programs, workplace
consultations, and training and education.

OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program offers free
and confidential occupational safety and health
services to small and medium-sized businesses in
all states and several territories across the country,
with priority given to high-hazard worksites.
On-site consultation services are separate from
enforcement and do not result in penalties or
citations. Consultants from state agencies or
universities work with employers to identify

workplace hazards, provide advice on compliance
with OSHA standards, and assist in establishing
and improving safety and health management
systems. To locate the OSHA On-site Consultation
Program nearest you, call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742)
or visit www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness.

For more information on this and other health­related issues impacting workers, to report an
emergency, fatality, inpatient hospitalization, or to
file a confidential complaint, contact your nearest
OSHA office, visit www.osha.gov, or call OSHA at
1-800-321-OSHA (6742), TTY 1-877-889-5627.

This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or
standards. It does not impose any new compliance requirements. For a comprehensive list of
compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations, refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal
Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory-impaired individuals upon request.
The voice phone is [phone]; teletypewriter (TTY) number: [phone].

DSG FS -3 681 0 3/2016

FactSheet

OSHA’s Crystalline Silica Rule:
General Industry and Maritime

OSHA is issuing two standards to protect workers from exposure to respirable
crystalline silica — one for general industry and maritime, and the other for
construction — in order to allow employers to tailor solutions to the specific
conditions in their workplaces.

Who is affected by the general industry
and maritime standard?

About 295,000 workers are exposed to respirable
crystalline silica in over 75,000 general industry
and maritime workplaces. Exposure to respirable
crystalline silica can cause silicosis, lung cancer,
other respiratory diseases, and kidney disease.

Some of the affected industries are shown below.

Number of Workers Exposed to Respirable
Crystalline Silica in Selected General Industry/
Maritime Sectors

Industry
sector

Asphalt Roofing
Materials

Concrete
Products

Cut Stone 9,429 5,24 3

Dental
Laboratories

Foundries 34,591 12,17 3

Jewelry 6,772 2,434

Porcelain
Enameling

Pottery 6,269 2,496

Railroads

Ready-Mix
Concrete

Shipyards 3.038 2,228

Structural Clay
Products

Support Activities
for Oil and Gas
Operations

Workers

currently

exposed

3,1 5 8 1,410

32,981 9,3 91

31,10 5 864

4,113 1,654

16,8 95 5,340

27,123 19,941

7,8 9 3 3,198

16,960 11,207

Workers currently

exposed above

the new PEL

OSHA estimates that over 100,000 workers in
general industry and maritime are exposed to
silica levels that exceed the new permissible
exposure limit (PEL).

What does the standard require?

The standard for general industry and maritime
requires employers to:

• Measure the amount of silica that workers are
exposed to if it may be at or above an action
level of 25 μg/m3 (micrograms of silica per cubic
meter of air), averaged over an 8-hour day;

• Protect workers from respirable crystalline
silica exposures above the permissible
exposure limit of 50 μg/m3, averaged over an
8-hour day;

• Limit workers’ access to areas where they
could be exposed above the PEL;

• Use dust controls to protect workers from
silica exposures above the PEL;

• Provide respirators to workers when dust
controls cannot limit exposures to the PEL;

• Restrict housekeeping practices that expose
workers to silica where feasible alternatives
are available;

• Establish and implement a written exposure
control plan that identifies tasks that involve
exposure and methods used to protect workers;

• Offer medical exams — including chest X-rays
and lung function tests — every three years
for workers exposed at or above the action
level for 30 or more days per year;

• Train workers on work operations that result in
silica exposure and ways to limit exposure; and

• Keep records of workers’ silica exposure and
medical exams.

Source: OSHA Directorate of Standards and Guidance

Examples — Dust control methods

In most cases, dust controls such as wet
methods and ventilation can be used to limit
workers’ exposure to silica. These technologies
are widely available, affordable and already
commonly used by many employers.

A worker cutting granite using a saw that applies water to
the blade. The water reduces the amount of silica-containing
dust that gets into the air.

A worker grinding castings in a foundry. The work is
performed in a ventilated booth to reduce the worker’s
exposure to silica.

When are employers required to comply
with the standard?

General industry and maritime employers must
comply with all requirements of the standard by
June 23, 2018, except for the following:

• Medical surveillance must be offered to
employees who will be exposed at or
above the action level for 30 or more days
a year starting on June 23, 2020. (Medical
surveillance must be offered to employees
who will be exposed above the PEL for 30 or
more days a year starting June 23, 2018.)

• Hydraulic fracturing operations in the oil and
gas industry must implement engineering
controls to limit exposures to the new PEL by
June 23, 2021.

Additional information

Additional information on OSHA’s silica rule can
be found at www.osha.gov/silica.

OSHA can provide extensive help through
a variety of programs, including technical
assistance about effective safety and health
programs, workplace consultations, and training
and education.

OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program offers
free and confidential occupational safety and
health services to small and medium-sized
businesses in all states and several territories
across the country, with priority given to high­hazard worksites. On-site consultation services
are separate from enforcement and do not result
in penalties or citations. Consultants from state
agencies or universities work with employers to
identify workplace hazards, provide advice on
compliance with OSHA standards, and assist in
establishing and improving safety and health
management systems. To locate the OSHA
On-site Consultation Program nearest you, call

Photo: Alliance — OSHA Cooperative Program

1-800-321-OSHA (6742) or visit www.osha.gov/

dcsp/smallbusiness.

For more information on this and other health­related issues impacting workers, to report an
emergency, fatality, inpatient hospitalization, or to
file a confidential complaint, contact your nearest
OSHA office, visit www.osha.gov, or call OSHA at
1-800-321-OSHA (6742), TTY 1-877-889-5627.

This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or
standards. It does not impose any new compliance requirements. For a comprehensive list of
compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations, refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal
Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory-impaired individuals upon request.
The voice phone is [phone]; teletypewriter (TTY) number: [phone].

DSG FS -3 682 0 3/2016