Hardwood Floors October/November 2017

By Jeremy Waldorf

ese safety upgrades have already put me ahead of the curve regarding the OSHA regulations. But more importantly, they keep me safer on the job and able to be there for my family. A lot of guys in the trades, especially younger ones, think safety is something they will only need to worry about when they get older. I have a friend who has been a tile se er and mixing thin-set since he was a boy. He has a wife and family, and he was diagnosed with silicosis about 18 months ago. He was 35 when they found nodules in his lungs. Silicosis is not an “old guy’s” problem at all. Yesterday, I went to my doctor for a routine physical. I had them add a screening for asbestos and silica related lung concerns including a chest X-ray. I’ll admit I wasn’t too nervous until just before the X-ray. en I started wondering what’s in there a er 20- plus years in the ooring trades. I am happy to report everything appears to be ne, and I was able to tell my three-year-old son that dad’s lungs look good. I will continue to get screened every year and share with other tradesmen how critical it is that we protect ourselves in the workplace every day. My young son is brokenhearted about losing his Papa. Now it’s my responsibility to continue protecting him and to do everything I can to make sure he doesn’t lose his dad anytime soon. To learn more about the newOSHA rules and silica in general, visit: osha.gov/silica. Jeremy Waldorf is the owner of Legacy Floors in Howell, Michigan. He can be reached at legacyfloors1@gmail.com.

doing their laundry or breathing in the dust the men brought home on their work clothes and boots. e same thing can happen with crystalline silica. e Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released brand-new guidelines this September that deal speci cally with silica exposure to individuals in the workplace. Key points of the regulations include limiting exposure to crystalline silica by requiring employers to provide respirators, using water or ventilation to reduce the amount of contaminant, providing medical exams for employees, educating workers, and providing a plan to protect themselves during and a er work. I’m personally not a huge fan of governmental interference when it relates to our e orts to provide for our families in the trades. In this case, however, I am glad to see action being taken and I wish it would have been done sooner. Dealing with the diagnosis and subsequent passing of my father has been di cult, but it has made me step up my e orts in the PPE (personal protective equipment) department even more than I have in the past. A couple of years ago, I upgraded my respirator to a silica-speci c canister, and I now use directional exhaust fans with large hoses to clean the air during demo or other types of dusty work. I seldom use a broom anymore, instead opting for my vacuumwith a ne particulate bag and HEPA lter. And one of the best purchases I’ve made is called theWaleTale, which a aches to my vacuum and sucks up the dust frommixing before it even enters the air. ese types of precautions and a safety mindset should likewise be applied when working with other airborne contaminants and chemicals including adhesives and solvents.

Jeremy wearing OSHA-approved safety equipment at the jobsite.

Photos courtesy of Jeremy Waldorf

the magazine of the national wood flooring association

69