Atlas Copco Power Technique North America has introduced a 36-in. (91 cm) retrofit dust suppression spray kit for handheld tools. The kit can be attached to an Atlas Copco handheld breaker, rivet buster or chipping hammer and helps to comply with requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) final silica rule.
The dust suppression spray kit is equipped with a nozzle that can cover an 80-degree cone around the tool at 40 psi of pressure, dispensing 6 gal. of water per hour. The kit connects to a garden hose, making it simple to utilize any water source on a job site.
Use of the kit minimizes workers' exposure to harmful silica dust through a continuous spray of water at the point of impact, which flushes the dust before it becomes airborne. When used with Atlas Copco's handheld breakers, rivet busters and chipping hammers, the retrofit dust suppression spray kit complies with Table 1 of the OSHA engineering and work practice control methods. OSHA's crystalline silica rule went into effect in September 2017.
In conjunction with the kit, there are a few required respiratory and minimum assigned protection factors (APF) for operators:
- Outdoors, four hours or less: No protection needed
- Outdoors, four hours or more: APF 10 dust mask or elastomeric that needs to be fit-tested
- Indoors, four hours or less: APF 10 dust mask or elastomeric that needs to be fit-tested
- Indoors, four hours or more: APF 10 dust mask or elastomeric that needs to be fit tested
“We're always looking to provide the most effective solution for our customers,” said Haile Tsegaw, product manager — handheld at Atlas Copco Power Technique North America.
“We answered the silica rule with a simple, user-friendly design that is cost effective, works with a multitude of tools, does not interfere with operating tasks and protects workers from exposure to respirable crystalline silica.”
For more information, visit www.atlascopco.us.
