By Ralph Wical, Training Coordinator - North Florida
It is said that “necessity is the mother of invention,” and I agree. I can't think of a bigger necessity than to protect the lives of the working men and women who make our civilized life possible.
According to OSHA “when the final rule on Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica becomes fully effective, it will save more than 600 lives annually and prevent more than 900 new cases of silicosis - an incurable and progressive disease - each year.”
Here at the North Florida Carpenters Training Center, we are doing our part in making sure this happens as soon as possible. With the help of our partners at DeWalt, we have had an influx of new equipment in 2019. Among that equipment, we have a brand new eight (8) gallon HEPA Vac, a removable dust extractor for our hammer drills, and a removable dust shroud for our grinders (they both attach to the HEPA Vac). We also have a hammer drill with an On-Board HEPA filter.
With this new equipment comes the opportunity to train members on the correct way to use these lifesaving tools, as well as understanding the need for using them in the field. Our overriding goal is to keep ourselves, our families, our clients and the general public safe from these contaminates.
With the proper training and tools on hand, you can breathe easy knowing that whether you are repairing the buildings of the past or constructing the buildings of the future, you are contributing to a cleaner, healthier method of construction.
Remember to go to your Local Training Center to receive the best training in our industry. Whether that training is in Metal Stud Framing, Ergonomics, Concrete Forms, Leadership, Silica Awareness or any other training available, you can be sure that it will be cutting-edge curriculum.
