Abrasive blasting
Abrasive blasting is used to clean surfaces such as steel, brick, cement and concrete.
A stream of abrasive material is propelled at high speed at a surface using air pressure, water pressure, or centrifugal force. The purpose of the blasting is to remove substances such as rust, scale, paint and graffiti from a surface.
Abrasive blasting equipment involves the use of a blasting pot containing the abrasive material, and a blasting hose with a nozzle attached which is manually controlled by the operator.
Abrasive blasting can be performed in a blasting chamber or cabinet, or inside temporary erected enclosed outdoor sites, or open sites such as buildings, bridges, tanks, boats or mobile plant.
Hazards associated with abrasive blasting
Hazards associated with abrasive blasting processes involve hazardous substances, dust, noise, particular matter, abrasive blasting equipment and plant.
General hazards associated with abrasive blasting processes involve manual tasks, working in confined spaces, working at heights, slips, trips and falls, vibration, heat, risk management process and risk assessment process.
An employer should ensure that no material containing any radioactive substances as defined in the Radiation Act 1975 is used in any abrasive blasting at the workplace. This includes:
- any substances that consists of or contain 2% or more dry weight of crystalline silicon dioxide as a contaminant
- river sand, beach sand or any white sand, poor filter material, dust from quartz rock
- any substances used in wet abrasive blasting containing: chromate, nitrate or nitrite
- any recycled material that has not been treated to remove respirable dust, or
- any substance capable of causing harm to the upper respiratory tract of a person.
Potential health effects of abrasive blasting
There are many severe health effects that can be caused by abrasive blasting.
Respirable dust can cause permanent scarring of lung tissue. Silica dust can result in silicosis, stiffening and scarring of lungs. This creates shortness of breath, coughing and chest pain. Both of these health effects cannot be cured. Lead dust can result in lead poisoning (plumbism), which can cause anaemia.
Noise exposure exceeding LAeq, 8h of 85 dB (A) can result in permanent hearing damage. The health effects caused by excessive noise exposure are temporary threshold shift; noise induced hearing loss, tinnitus, acoustic trauma, increased heart rate and blood pressure, headache, irritability, nausea, insomnia, reduced concentration and depression.
Manual handling tasks can result in strains, sprains, fractures, dislocations, bruises and overuse injuries. Slips, trips and falls can cause injuries to arms, legs and head.
Working in confined spaces can result in burns, electrocution, suffocation, poisoning, brain damage, death and crush injuries.
If there has been prolonged use of abrasive blasting equipment, the vibration from the equipment can result in Raynaud’s Syndrome (white finger or dead finger) which is caused by persistent microscopic damage to nerves and blood capillaries.
When a person is subjected to heat, it can result in heat stress, discomfort, irritability, dehydration, reduced concentration, heat- rash, reduced tolerance to chemicals and noise, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Employer’s duties
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991 (the Act), employers are required to provide and maintain, as far as practicable, a working environment that is safe and without risk to health.
To ensure that risks are managed in accordance with the duties under the Act, employers should systematically manage the risks to health and safety which arise from abrasive blasting.
Employers can systematically manage risks by undertaking the following four-step risk management process:
1. identify the hazard
2. assess the risk associated with the hazard
3. control the risk
4. review the process.
When undertaking risk management, employers must follow the relevant Commonwealth regulations and give consideration to the codes of practice. If no regulation or code exist in relation to a specific identified risk employers should choose a reliable source of guidance to follow.
Relevant Commonwealth Regulations
Occupational Health and Safety (Safety Standards) Regulations 1994, in particular:
- Part 3: Occupational Noise
- Part 4: Plant
- Part 5: Manual Handling
- Part 6: Hazardous Substances
- Part 7: Confined Spaces
Relevant Commonwealth Codes of Practice
In particular, the Occupational Health and Safety Code of Practice 2008:
- Part 1 - Risk Management
- Part 2 - First Aid
- Part 3 - Noise
- Part 4 - Manual Tasks (under development)
- Part 5 - Vibration
- Part 7 - Confined Spaces
- Part 12 - Hazardous Substances
- Part 22 - Abrasive Blasting
Relevant Guidance Material
- Abrasive Blasting Code of Practice 2004 [pdf] – Queensland Government Department of Industrial Relations
Further Information
For further information about this fact sheet, or others in the series, please contact Comcare on the general enquiry line 1300 366 97 or email ohs.help@comcare.gov.au.
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