To determine silica levels, you must test the air. The most reliable way to do so is to hire a certified specialist to conduct testing. The specialist should place sampling devices on multiple employees or on just one, which will collect respirable silica dust in the air over the course of the worker’s eight-hour shift. The device uses a cyclone assembly and a sampling pump to collect the dust. Make sure you don’t alter your work practices when you’re being tested — you want accurate results.
After the eight-hour period has passed, the specialist, who is typically an industrial hygienist, will come back to turn off the sampling pumps and send the filters to a lab to be evaluated. Make sure you use a laboratory with a history of quality work and reliable results. The lab should report the amount of silica that workers are currently being exposed to so you know whether you’re staying safely under the PEL or need to implement more protection measures.