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OSHA Silica Rule
HEPA vacuums for silica: what OSHA actually requires
If you are buying a vacuum to stay inside OSHA’s silica rule, you need to know which line of the rule you are buying for. The standard asks for HEPA in some places and a 99% filter in others. Here is each one, quoted from the regulation, with the machine that answers it.
The short answer
- HEPA has a legal definition here. The silica rule defines a HEPA filter as at least 99.97% efficient on 0.3 micrometer particles (29 CFR 1926.1153(b) and 1910.1053(b)).
- HEPA is required for cleanup, not for every tool. The rule names HEPA-filtered vacuuming as the alternative to dry sweeping (1926.1153(f)(1), 1910.1053(h)(1)), for cleaning drilled holes, and for loose dust between passes when a walk-behind milling machine or floor grinder runs indoors.
- The collector on a tool needs 99%, not HEPA. Table 1 asks the dust collector on a grinder, drill or jackhammer shroud for a filter of 99% or greater efficiency, the airflow the tool maker recommends (25 CFM per inch of wheel on handheld grinders), and a filter-cleaning mechanism.
- What that means for your purchase. A Ruwac MicroClean machine (99% at 0.5 microns, external filter cleaning) answers the collector line. An H model adds a HEPA stage behind it and answers the cleanup lines as well.
The exact language, line by line
Construction work falls under 29 CFR 1926.1153; general industry shops fall under 29 CFR 1910.1053. The housekeeping language is identical in both. Table 1 is in the construction standard.
| Where | What it asks for | HEPA named? |
|---|---|---|
| Definitions, 1926.1153(b) and 1910.1053(b) | A HEPA filter is “at least 99.97 percent efficient in removing mono-dispersed particles of 0.3 micrometers in diameter.” | Defines it |
| Housekeeping, 1926.1153(f)(1) and 1910.1053(h)(1) | No dry sweeping or dry brushing where it could contribute to exposure, unless wet sweeping, HEPA-filtered vacuuming or other methods that minimize exposure are not feasible. | Yes |
| Compressed air, 1926.1153(f)(2) and 1910.1053(h)(2) | No compressed air to clean clothing or surfaces unless it is used with ventilation that captures the dust cloud, or no alternative method is feasible. | No |
| Table 1, handheld and stand-mounted drills | Collector with the airflow the tool maker recommends, a 99% or greater filter and a filter-cleaning mechanism. Use a HEPA-filtered vacuum when cleaning holes. | Yes, for holes |
| Table 1, dowel drilling rigs (outdoors) | Shroud and collector with a 99% or greater filter and a filter-cleaning mechanism. Use a HEPA-filtered vacuum when cleaning holes. | Yes, for holes |
| Table 1, jackhammers and chipping tools (shroud option) | Collector with the airflow the tool maker recommends, a 99% or greater filter and a filter-cleaning mechanism. | No |
| Table 1, handheld grinders and tuckpointing grinders | 25 CFM or greater per inch of wheel diameter, a 99% or greater filter, and a cyclonic pre-separator or filter-cleaning mechanism. | No |
| Table 1, walk-behind milling machines and floor grinders | Collector recommended by the machine maker, at its recommended airflow, with a 99% or greater filter and a filter-cleaning mechanism. Indoors or in an enclosed area, use a HEPA-filtered vacuum to remove loose dust between passes. | Yes, between passes indoors |
| Table 1, handheld saws cutting fiber-cement board (outdoors) | Collector with the airflow the tool maker recommends and a 99% or greater filter. | No |
The exposure limits behind all of this: a permissible exposure limit of 50 micrograms per cubic meter as an 8-hour TWA, and an action level of 25. Tasks that are not on Table 1, or where Table 1 is not fully and properly followed, fall under 1926.1153(d) and its exposure assessment instead.
Which Ruwac vacuum answers which line
Every Red Line machine below runs Ruwac’s MicroClean primary filter, which Ruwac rates at 99% at 0.5 microns, with an external filter-cleaning mechanism. The H models add a HEPA stage behind the MicroClean. Specs are from Ruwac’s own spec sheets and product pages. Prices are live from our store.
| Model | Airflow (CFM) | Primary filter | HEPA | Inlet | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RB151 | 150 | MicroClean, 13 sq ft | Optional upgrade | 2 in. | $2,996.00 |
| RB151H | 150 | MicroClean, 13 sq ft | Secondary HEPA stage | 2 in. | $4,413.00 |
| RB201 | 200 | MicroClean, 13 sq ft | Optional upgrade | 2 in. | $3,835.00 |
| RB201H | 200 | MicroClean, 13 sq ft | Secondary HEPA, rated 99.97% at 0.3 microns | 2 in. | $5,944.00 |
| RB211 | 210 | MicroClean, 13 sq ft | Optional upgrade | 2 in. | $4,580.00 |
| RB211H | 210 | MicroClean, 13 sq ft | Secondary HEPA stage | 2 in. | $5,996.00 |
| RB291H | 290 | MicroClean | Secondary HEPA stage | 2.75 in. | $6,761.00 |
| RB331 | 330 | MicroClean, 28 sq ft | Secondary HEPA stage included | 2.75 in. | $6,762.00 |
| RB352 | 350 | MicroClean, 28 sq ft | Optional upgrade | 2.75 in. | $8,283.00 |
| RB352H | 350 | MicroClean, 28 sq ft | Secondary HEPA stage | 2.75 in. | $9,504.00 |
| BA2510 (battery) | 250 | MicroClean, 13 sq ft | Optional upgrade | 2.75 in. | $14,679.00 |
| BA211 PRO (battery) | 150 | MicroClean | Secondary HEPA stage included | 2 in. | $8,144.00 |
Ruwac lists concrete dust, including Table 1 applications, as a common application for its RB150, RB200 and RB210 series.
Match your task to the machine
- Handheld grinder. Size by wheel: 25 CFM per inch. A standard MicroClean machine covers the 99% and filter-cleaning lines. Our concrete grinding vacuum guide has the wheel-by-wheel table.
- Drilling. The collector needs 99% and filter cleaning, and the holes get cleaned with a HEPA-filtered vacuum. One H model does both jobs.
- Walk-behind grinding or milling indoors. Size the collector to what your grinder maker recommends, then plan a HEPA-filtered vacuum for loose dust between passes. The RB291H, RB331 and RB352H carry a HEPA stage and the 2.75 in. inlet those machines usually want.
- Shop housekeeping in general industry. If your people sweep or blow down silica dust, 1910.1053(h) points you to HEPA-filtered vacuuming. Any H model fits that job.
- Tile removal. Tile removal itself is not a Table 1 task, but the grinding that follows usually is. See our dustless tile removal vacuum guide.
We give you the specification and the machine. Whether your setup meets the rule on your job is your call and your documentation, not ours.
When a HEPA vacuum is not right for you
Your dust is combustible
These Red Line machines are built for housekeeping in non-classified environments. Combustible dust is a different class of machine and a different conversation.
You are working wet
Wet cutting and wet polishing put slurry on the floor, and a dry machine will not survive it. The slurry and sump machines on our industrial vacuums page are built for that.
Dust is escaping from a fixed process
A vacuum is tied to a tool or a cleanup job. If silica is getting into the room from a saw station, a mixer or a bag dump, you need capture at the source. Start with concrete and silica dust collection.
Silica vacuum questions
Does OSHA require a HEPA vacuum for silica?
For cleanup, yes. The housekeeping rule names HEPA-filtered vacuuming as the alternative to dry sweeping, and Table 1 calls for a HEPA-filtered vacuum when cleaning drilled holes and between passes on walk-behind grinders indoors. The dust collector on a handheld grinder needs a 99% or greater filter, not HEPA.
What counts as HEPA under the silica rule?
At least 99.97% efficient on 0.3 micrometer particles, per the definitions in 1926.1153(b) and 1910.1053(b).
Is Ruwac’s MicroClean filter HEPA?
No. Ruwac rates MicroClean at 99% at 0.5 microns, which answers Table 1’s 99% line for tool collectors. The H models add a separate HEPA stage behind it.
Can we dry sweep silica dust?
Not where it could contribute to exposure, unless wet sweeping, HEPA-filtered vacuuming or other methods that minimize exposure are not feasible.
Can we blow it off with compressed air?
Only with ventilation that captures the dust cloud, or when no alternative method is feasible. A HEPA vacuum is usually the alternative.
How long does a Ruwac vacuum take to ship?
Ruwac machines typically ship in two to three weeks and accessories in one to two. Freight is calculated at checkout from your zip.
Tell us the task and the tool
Send us the tool, the wheel or bit size and whether you work indoors. You get back the machine that answers each line of the rule, with a firm price. Or call 602-456-9661.
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