JamesHardie Working safely Tools User Guide

: July 24, 2024
: JamesHardie

Table of Contents

James Hardie Working safely Tools
Product Information
Product Usage Instructions
Best Practices
Introduction
Silica Awareness
Best Practice
- WORKING SAFELY WITH HARDIE™ PRODUCTS
Minimising Respirable Crystalline Silica Dust Exposure
FAQ
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

James Hardie Working safely Tools

Product Information

Specifications

Brand: James Hardie
Product Name: HardieTM Fibre Cement Products
Main Component: Fibre Cement
Contains: Respirable Crystalline Silica

Product Usage Instructions

Introduction

At James Hardie, safety is a top priority. This guide is designed to ensure the safe use of HardieTM products.

Safety Awareness

What is Silica?
Silica, commonly known as sand or quartz, is a mineral found in many building products including HardieTM fibre cement.
The Hazard
The respirable crystalline silica present in dust from the product may cause lung damage and poses a cancer risk if inhaled.
The Risk
Activities like cutting, drilling, or sawing fibre cement can generate dust containing respirable crystalline silica.

Best Practices

Working Safely with HardieTM Products
Follow James Hardie instructions to reduce dust release, warn others nearby, and rotate personnel to limit silica exposure.
Handling & Storage
Store products in a dry area away from moisture and handle with care to prevent damage that may release silica dust.

Minimizing Respirable Crystalline Silica Dust Exposure

Overview
Avoid prolonged inhalation of dust by following safety guidelines and using appropriate protective equipment.
Activity & Tooling
Select tools suitable for cutting fibre cement and ensure proper ventilation during activities that generate dust.
Cut Quality & Tool Selection
Choose the right tools and techniques to minimize dust generation during cutting processes.

Warning: Failure to follow safety guidelines may result in serious injury or death.

Introduction

At James Hardie we believe that safety should be of paramount importance to everyone.
We are committed to the safe use of our products.
This guide provides a straight forward approach to working with Hardie™ products.
Intact fibre cement products are not expected to result in any adverse toxic effects. The health hazard associated with fibre cement arises from the respirable crystalline silica present in dust generated by activities such as cutting,
rebating, drilling, routing, sawing, crushing, or otherwise abrading fibre cement, and when cleaning up, disposing of or moving dust.
When doing any of these activities in a manner that generates dust, follow James Hardie instructions and best practices to reduce or
limit the release of dust, warn others in the area and consider rotating personnel performing the cutting task to further limit respirable crystalline silica exposure.
If using a dust respirator, at a minimum use a AS/NZS1716 P2 filter and refer to Australian/ New Zealand Standard 1715:2009 Selection, Use and Maintenance of Respiratory Protective Equipment for more extensive guidance and more options for selecting respirators for workplaces.
For further information, refer to our installation guides and Safety Data Sheets available at www.jameshardie.com.au or www.jameshardie.co.nz.

DANGER

PRODUCT CONTAINS
SAND, A SOURCE OF RESPIRABLE CRYSTALLINE SILICA. MAY CAUSE CANCER BY INHALATION AND MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO LUNGS AND RESPIRATORY SYSTEM THROUGH PROLONGED OR REPEATED INHALATION OF DUST FROM THE PRODUCT.
Note: PCBUs and others have general duties under the WHS laws relating to worker health and safety. Refer to your State or Local regulations for further guidance in the processing of materials containing crystalline silica.

Silica Awareness

WHAT IS SILICA

Commonly known as sand or quartz, silica is the second most common mineral on earth and is found in many common building products.
Silica is commonly found in building products like concrete, bricks, grout, ceramic tiles, glass, dirt and all fibre cement material such as Hardie™ products. It would almost be impossible for people not to come into contact with silica
every day.

THE HAZARD

The capability to cause harm
Silica when it’s intact is harmless. However, when it is cut, drilled or otherwise abraded, respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is released as dust particles invisible to the naked eye.
Poor housekeeping methods that disturb accumulated dust on workplace surfaces, such as dry sweeping, using compressed air or high-pressure water cleaners and general-purpose vacuum cleaners not designed for use with hazardous dusts can also lead to RCS exposure.
Exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust is an occupational hazard. Infrequent low level exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust is unlikely to be hazardous.

THE RISK
The likelihood of the hazard causing harm
James Hardie best practice recommendations are designed to minimise the risk of harmful exposure to respirable crystalline silica when installing fibre cement products and enable users to comply with applicable government safety standards.
Prolonged or repeated inhalation of respirable crystalline silica dust can cause damage to the lungs and respiratory system including a potentially fatal lung disease called silicosis. The inhalation of respirable crystalline silica can also cause other adverse health effects including cancer.

RISK FACTORS
Factors that affect the degree of risk include:

Level of exposure
Duration and frequency of exposure
External health factors (e.g. lifestyle, genetics, smoking)

Respirable Crystalline Silica is an occupational hazard and can be managed by adopting best practices, including use of appropriate tooling, implementation of appropriate systems and ensuring correct use of Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE).

Best Practice

WORKING SAFELY WITH HARDIE™ PRODUCTS

James Hardie believes that safety is of paramount importance to everyone and is committed to enabling the safe use of our products and safer work sites.
This guide provides information on what we consider to be the current best practices on how to work safely with Hardie™ products. Further guidance and information is available in our fibre cement SDS as well as on the Safe Work Australia and State and Territory WHS websites.
For technical information on the installation of our products, refer to the relevant product installation guides and technical specifications available at www.jameshardie.com.au and www.jameshardie.co.nz.
If you still have concerns about silica dust exposure levels, you should always consult a qualified occupational hygienist. A directory can be found at www.aioh.org.au and www.nzohs.org.nz.

SANDING, REBATING, DRILLING, CUTTING OR OTHER MACHINING
James Hardie encourages you to always minimise dust exposures. Therefore, when sanding, rebating, cutting, drilling or carrying out other machining of fibre cement products, as well as following our recommended cutting instructions, you should always wear a properly fitted P2 respirator (refer to page 5 for further guidance on Respiratory Protective Equipment) and setup a dedicated working area.

Cutting outdoors

Identify location of other workers and position cutting station in an open area. A vacuum attachment must be fitted to selected tool, in order to minimise dust exposure to all workers (both user and others nearby to work area). Use one of the following methods based on the required cutting rate:
BEST

Hardie™ Villaboard™ Score and Snap Knife
Hand guillotine
Fibreshears

BETTER

Dust-reducing power saw (e.g. circular saw) equipped with a fibre cement saw blade (e.g. Hardie™ Blade or Diablo fibre cement blade) and connected to a H or M class vacuum.

(and/or poorly ventilated areas)
Only cut using a score and snap knife, hand guillotine or fibreshears (manual, electric or pneumatic).
Note: While these tools produce insignificant amounts of respirable crystalline silica dust when cutting fibre cement, some state or local regulations may nevertheless require additional dust controls to be used.

HANDLING & STORAGE

Hardie™ products are robust and durable when installed and maintained in accordance with James Hardie’s published literature current at the time of purchase. It is important to keep the product dry in storage and during installation.
If product becomes saturated prior to installation the following can occur:

SHRINKAGE at joints.
STAINING a deposit of soluble salts, usually white in colour.
DIFFICULTY in handling due to the increased weight and added flexibility once saturated.

James Hardie is not responsible for damage due to improper storage and handling.

HANDLING
Where a material handling aid cannot be used, James Hardie recommends the use of the following handling techniques:
- For Planked Products
- ```
  * Do not lift planked products flat and in the middle (Figure 3).
```
- Carry the products on edge (Figure 4).
- If only one person is carrying the product, hold it in the middle and spread arms shoulder-width apart to better support the product (Figure 5).
- If two people are carrying the plank, hold it near each end and on edge (Figure 6).
- For Panel Products
- Carry with two people (Figure 7).
- Hold the panel, ensuring the product load is distributed across the length of product.
- Exercise care when handling panel products to avoid damaging the corner.
STORAGE
- STORED in their original packaging in a
  covered area when possible.
- COVERED on a pallet and must not be
  stored directly on the ground (Figure 1).
- PROTECTED with a waterproof covering, if storage outside is unavoidable (Figure 2).
- STORED flat and above ground (Figure 1).

Minimising Respirable Crystalline Silica Dust Exposure

OVERVIEW

ACTIVITY & TOOLING
The below table provides an overview of common activities undertaken with Hardie™ products. Read through and select relevant tooling and environmental conditions for the activity and use appropriate recommended controls.
Note: Refer to Section 4.1 Overview for further information on controls.

CUT QUALITY & TOOL SELECTION
James Hardie always recommends using “best” level cutting methods where feasible.
Where more precise cut edges are required, the following tooling types can provide these means:

Track Saw
Circular Saw
Drop Saw

Once the right tool for the job has been selected, ensure the saw is equipped with an appropriate commercially available dust collection system; and operate and maintain tool in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions to minimise dust emissions.
Dust collector must provide the air flow recommended by the cutting tool manufacturer, or greater, and be rated to either H or M-Class.

Where drilling, sanding or abrading is required, a dust extraction system e.g. attachment, shroud, must be fitted to minimise dust exposure.
If a lower level cut quality is opted-for and feasible for the product concerned, the following equipment and/or alternate methods can provide these means: