Enhancing Workplace Safety: Covia's Commitment to Dust Control

Covia continues to prioritize reducing the risk of exposure to respirable silica dust and related diseases, such as silicosis. Through a hands-on approach, Covia worked with plants to apply collective expertise and best practices for the protection of its employees, neighbors, and the environment. This included:

• Working more closely with sites experiencing elevated silica exposure levels to develop advanced dust control measures;
• Establishing routine meetings with safety and health leaders to discuss specific risks and opportunities; and
• Increasing communication across the organization, including a summary of activities and exposure levels.

Covia invested $2.0 million in projects focused on reducing dust exposure across its locations. Notably, the Wedron, Illinois, plant introduced several impactful tools and initiatives to improve dust mitigation in its silica operations. This included:

• Stationing a wheel wash at the transition from unpaved to paved roadways to reduce mud, dust, and fugitive emissions;
• Installing concrete sand-storage bunkers at numerous locations at the facility to temporarily accumulate sands and reduce contamination;
• Replacing pavement with easier to clean surfaces across the site, and purchasing two street sweepers; and
• Replacing a water scrubber, used to control particulate emissions, with a more efficient and effective scrubber.

Covia’s Oregon, Illinois, plant also adopted an innovative update to the screen-change procedures to reduce dust exposure. By applying a small amount of Covia’s DST® Dust Suppression Technology on the site’s screening equipment (outside of the machines, screen decks, and screens) prior to maintenance, the plant achieved a 60% reduction in airborne respirable dust.

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