Dust entry

Fiber-optic fused silica dust

Dust generated while cutting or processing fused-quartz glass tubes used in fiber-optic cable manufacturing.

Airborne form

dustaerosol

The form describes what is suspended in air at the point of exposure. A material can produce more than one form, such as dust during handling and fume during heating.

Health effects

respirable particulate exposuresilica exposure concernrespiratory disease concern

Evidence

A NIOSH evaluation at a fiber-optic cable plant found trace airborne fused silica overall but measured a highest personal exposure of 0.217 mg/m3 during glass-tube cutting, using the report's respirable amorphous fused-silica evaluation criterion.

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The highest personal exposure found during this survey, assuming all collected respirable particulate was amorphous fused silica, was 0.217 mg/m3.

Controls

local exhaust ventilation
enclose glass cutting
exposure monitoring
wet or controlled cutting methods
appropriate respiratory protection