Online Silica Awareness Training (BC OHS Part 6)
Respirable crystalline silica is one of the most dangerous — and most overlooked — occupational hazards in Canadian construction. Silica dust is generated whenever workers cut, grind, drill, or blast concrete, masonry, brick, stone, drywall, or tile. Exposure causes silicosis (an irreversible, disabling, often fatal lung disease), lung cancer, COPD, and kidney disease. Under BC OHS Regulation Part 6 (Substance Specific Requirements — Silica), employers must implement Silica Exposure Control Plans (ECPs) and provide documented training to exposed workers.
Gama Safety Canada's Online Silica Awareness course delivers WorkSafeBC-aligned training. Complete on any device at your own pace. Instant digital certificate. Physical wallet card mailed to your address at no extra cost.
What Is Respirable Crystalline Silica?
Crystalline silica (silicon dioxide, SiO₂) is a naturally occurring mineral found in sand, stone, concrete, brick, mortar, and many industrial materials. When these materials are cut, drilled, sanded, ground, or crushed, they release respirable crystalline silica — particles small enough to reach deep into the lungs (typically less than 10 microns in diameter, invisible to the naked eye). These particles cause permanent lung damage over years or decades of exposure.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies crystalline silica as a Group 1 carcinogen — confirmed to cause cancer in humans.
Where Is Silica Dust Found?
- Concrete — 20–40% silica content — cutting, drilling, grinding, demolition
- Masonry and brick — 40–70% silica — cutting, tuck-pointing, demolition
- Stone (granite, sandstone, quartz) — 30–95% silica — countertop fabrication, monument work
- Sand — 90%+ silica — sandblasting, foundry work, hydraulic fracturing
- Mortar and grout — cutting, tuck-pointing, tile installation
- Drywall / gypsum board — trace silica — sanding, finishing
- Roofing tiles — cutting and installation
- Asphalt — trace silica — cutting, milling, demolition
- Ceramic tiles and porcelain — cutting and installation
- Engineered stone — 90%+ silica — countertop fabrication (extremely high exposure)
- Foundry sand — molding operations
- Blasting abrasives — silica sand blasting (banned in many jurisdictions)
Health Effects of Silica Exposure
- Silicosis — irreversible, progressive scarring of the lungs. Three forms: chronic (10–30 years), accelerated (5–10 years), acute (weeks to months of very high exposure). No cure. Often disabling. Frequently fatal.
- Lung cancer — silica is a Group 1 human carcinogen
- COPD — chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Kidney disease — chronic kidney damage from silica exposure
- Autoimmune diseases — increased risk of scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis
- Increased tuberculosis risk — silicosis dramatically increases susceptibility to TB
WorkSafeBC Silica Exposure Limits
Under BC OHS Regulation Part 6, the 8-hour Time-Weighted Average (TWA) exposure limit for respirable crystalline silica is 0.025 mg/m³. This is significantly lower than the previous limit — WorkSafeBC treats silica as a priority carcinogen. Common construction tasks routinely exceed this limit without proper controls:
- Dry cutting concrete with a circular saw — can exceed limit by 50–100x
- Tuck-pointing / mortar removal — can exceed limit by 25–50x
- Concrete grinding — 10–20x limit without controls
- Drilling into concrete — 5–10x limit
- Engineered stone countertop cutting — often exceeds limit by 100x+
Silica Exposure Control Plans (ECPs)
Under BC OHS Regulation, employers whose workers may be exposed to silica must develop and implement a written Silica Exposure Control Plan (ECP). The ECP must include:
- Silica hazard identification (which tasks and materials expose workers)
- Risk assessment
- Engineering controls (wet methods, ventilation, tool-mounted dust extraction)
- Administrative controls (job rotation, work practices)
- PPE requirements (respirator type based on exposure level)
- Training requirements
- Air monitoring and medical surveillance
- Recordkeeping
Our course teaches workers how to understand and follow their employer's ECP.
What You'll Learn
- Silica identification — where crystalline silica is found in construction and industry
- Health effects — silicosis, lung cancer, COPD, kidney disease, TB susceptibility
- Exposure routes — inhalation as the primary route
- WorkSafeBC exposure limits — 0.025 mg/m³ TWA, action levels
- Hazard assessment — evaluating exposure risk on specific jobs
- Engineering controls — wet cutting, HEPA vacuums, tool-mounted dust extraction, ventilation, enclosure
- Administrative controls — work practices, job rotation, minimizing dust generation
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) — respirator selection (P100 minimum for most tasks, PAPR for higher exposures)
- Respirator use — fit testing requirements, seal checks, maintenance
- Silica Exposure Control Plan (ECP) — understanding your employer's ECP
- Housekeeping — wet cleaning, HEPA vacuuming, NEVER dry sweeping silica dust
- Emergency procedures — spill response, incident reporting
- Regulatory compliance — BC OHS Regulation Part 6
Who Needs Silica Awareness Training?
- Concrete workers — cutting, grinding, drilling, demolition
- Masons and bricklayers
- Tuck-pointing and mortar-removal specialists
- Drywall installers and finishers
- Tile setters and floor installers
- Stone fabricators (countertops, monuments)
- Engineered stone / quartz countertop workers (highest-risk trade)
- Sandblasters
- Tunnellers and miners
- Foundry workers
- Roofers (cutting concrete/clay tiles)
- Asphalt millers and cutters
- Demolition workers
- Renovation contractors
- Construction site supervisors and safety personnel
- Anyone whose employer has identified silica exposure risk
Bundle with Related Construction Safety Courses
Why Choose Gama Safety Canada's Online Silica Course?
- WorkSafeBC-aligned — meets BC OHS Regulation Part 6 training standards
- Instant certificate download — pass the exam, download immediately
- Physical wallet card mailed FREE — durable card arrives within 5–7 business days
- Accepted Canada-wide — recognized by construction, renovation, and industrial employers
- 100% self-paced — complete in 2 hours on any device
- Unlimited exam attempts — no extra charge if you retake
- Multilingual support — English, Spanish, Punjabi, Tagalog
- Group and corporate discounts — for construction crews
- Trusted by 100+ certified workers — 5.0-star rated on REVIEWS.io
