No, crews do not need to make any changes to what they wear or tent any areas of the work site. These are misconceptions that may be perpetuated by companies looking to take advantage of this standard change. 

The answer will depend on multiple factors driven by the jobsite environment, as well as how you currently cut our fiber cement products. The tools that are used to safely cut our siding – HardieBlade® saw blades, dust-collecting saws and standard shop vacuums – can be used to help meet the new standard.

There are many cost-effective options for tools (saws, vacuums, etc.) that meet Table 1 requirements for fiber cement. Even if you do invest in higher-end tools, the total cost per job is low. Using a cost per square foot metric, it’s less than a penny per square foot – 0.54¢ on the high end and 0.06¢ on the low end. Plus, you could potentially cut costs by using a vacuum to extend the life of your tools and reduce cleanup/housekeeping time. 

James Hardie has collaborated with a number of installers to identify solutions that are effective, affordable and easy to set up. Should you have any questions, we’re prepared to assist crews on-site.

OSHA will measure the level of exposure to respirable silica dust over an 8-hour period to determine if a jobsite is at or below the PEL of 50 μg/m³.  

Silica exposure is determined one of two ways:

1. By referencing objective data, which means studies or reports by recognized experts who have evaluated dust exposures for certain tasks*
2. By directly monitoring actual employee exposure

Actual exposure is measured using an air sampling device that is placed in the work area or worn by an employee. An industrial hygienist (IH)** will generally oversee the sample collection. The samples are collected and sent to a qualified lab for analysis and the IH will review the results and make recommendations.

Note: Only a small fraction (typically less than 5%) of the total dust produced when cutting fiber cement is considered to be respirable silica dust. 

 

Cutting our fiber cement products is safe when using our guidelines, which are designed to reduce the amount of dust produced. There are a number of variables that influence how much dust a worker is exposed to on a construction site. We are here to make it as easy as possible to enable install crews to cut our fiber cement products properly and safely.

James Hardie has resources and solutions to help its customers achieve compliance. You can find information about the proper way to cut our fiber cement products here or by calling James Hardie Technical Services at 800-942-7343.

James Hardie can provide resources to help train your crews. Just call James Hardie Technical Services at 800-942-7343 to schedule a consultation with our technical services team. 

Yes. Moving or storing fiber cement does not generate significant dust from the product.

You can direct your customers to the James Hardie Silica Resource Center or ask them to talk to their James Hardie rep.

No, it will not. There is no change necessary and you should not see any issues with the availability of James Hardie products.

No. There’s nothing in the handling/stocking process that would cause an issue.