Development and Field Evaluation of the NIOSH Mini Baghouse Retrofit Assembly for Control of Silica Dust Emissions on Hydraulic Fracturing Sites

摘要

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has had an active program of occupational safety and health research in oil and gas extraction since 2005. The goal of program is reducing occupational diseases and injuries among workers. The program fulfills its mission through partnerships with industry resulting in high quality research leading to practical solutions, and carrying out Research-to-Practice (R-2-P) technology transfer. As part of the NIOSH Field Effort to Assess Chemical Exposures in Oil and Gas Workers NIOSH researchers determined that an occupational exposure hazard exists for exposures to respirable crystalline silica (quartz) for workers involved in hydraulic fracturing. Workers who operated sand moving machinery (i.e., sand movers and sand transfer belts) were at highest risks for exposures. NIOSH identified 8 primary points of dust generation at hydraulic fracturing sites, emissions from sand movers was identified as a primary point for quartz dust emissions and also for control of silica-containing dusts. NIOSH researchers invented and fabricated a local exhaust ventilation control called the NIOSH Mini Baghouse Retrofit Assembly which is designed as a "bolt-on" control that exploits pneumatic energy during sand mover filling operations. This presentation describes results from NIOSH field trial evaluations of the Mini Baghouse Retrofit Assembly and implications for control of silica dust emissions from sand movers and silica dust exposures to workers.