Job sites pose numerous challenges, and worker exposure to hazardous respirable crystalline silica is one of those risks that has been at the forefront of our considerations for construction health and safety.
While some risk is inherent to different construction tasks being performed, many risks can be managed. OSHA silica dust regulations help ensure employers are providing protective solutions to manage risks for their workers. However, purchasing new equipment for compliance with the regulation can be expensive for some organizations.
Workplace safety
RIDGID Wet/Dry Vacs have long been found on job sites as dependable tools to address a range of construction and cleanup needs. Now, through purposeful filtration innovation, this offering is inclusive of an economical solution for reducing the amount of respirable silica in the air around the worker. The RIDGID VF6500 OSHA Compatible Kit with HEPA Level Filtration and Cyclonic Dust Bags converts select RIDGID 12-16 gallon wet/dry vacs into an OSHA Table 1 compatible solution for $50.
This solution addresses dust that is created when using certain hand-held power saws for cutting fiber cement-board and handheld grinders for mortar removal (e.g., tuck-pointing) and other cutting and grinding use cases. In a highly regulated environment, understanding the functionality of the product is advantageous to decision makers and users. Once the dust is collected inside the bag, it has a convenient sealing collar for disposing of the dust safely and cleanly. Many other dust collections systems have an open bag for collecting the dust and discarding that bag may lead to secondary dust exposure.
The RIDGID VF6500 OSHA Compatible Kit includes two RIDGID premium cyclonic dust bags (VF3602) and one RIDGID 5-layer allergen filter (VF6000) made with HEPA media. The user achieves HEPA-level filtration when the HEPA media filter (VF6000) and cyclonic dust bag (VF3602) are installed together in select RIDGID 12-16 gallon wet/dry vacs. For more product information and specifications, visit nxtridgid.com/OSHA.