Cutting, Dust Control & Jobsite Safety: the full procedure

Cut material safely with dust controls in place and operate every job under the business safety plan and OSHA requirements.

• Applies to: All field personnel
• Frequency: Per job (and ongoing)
• Scope: Standardizes the business workflow for safe cutting and a safe jobsite. Respirable crystalline silica from cutting tile, stone, or concrete, adhesive/VOC exposure, PPE, and respirator use defer to OSHA (29 CFR 1926.1153, including Table 1 controls), the product label/SDS, and the written business safety plan. This SOP does not set exposure limits.

What you need

• Wet saw/vacuum-equipped cutting tools
• HEPA vacuum
• Eye and hearing protection
• Respiratory protection per the safety plan
• SDS binder/access

The procedure, step by step

1. Review the safety plan and SDS — Before starting, confirm the written exposure control plan is on site and SDS for adhesives, sealers, and mortars are accessible to the crew.
2. Identify silica-generating tasks — Flag any cutting or grinding of tile, stone, or concrete as a respirable crystalline silica task governed by OSHA 1926.1153; plan controls before cutting.
3. Apply OSHA Table 1 controls — Use the engineering controls and respiratory protection OSHA specifies for the task - for example water-fed (wet) saws or tool-mounted dust collection on power saws - per 1926.1153 Table 1 and the safety plan.
4. Set up the cutting station — Locate cutting in a controlled area with dust capture and away from occupied spaces; protect the customer's home and HVAC returns from dust.
5. Wear required PPE — Use eye, hearing, and respiratory protection as required by the safety plan and OSHA for the task; do not improvise PPE.
6. Handle adhesives and VOCs per SDS — Follow the product label/SDS for ventilation, skin/eye protection, and storage when using adhesives, primers, and sealers.
7. Keep the jobsite safe — Maintain clear paths, manage cords and tools, control trip hazards from material and tools, and keep the work area tidy throughout.
8. Clean dust with HEPA, not dry sweeping — Clean cutting dust using a HEPA vacuum or wet methods rather than dry sweeping or compressed air, per OSHA housekeeping requirements.

Quality check before you finish

• Written safety plan and SDS accessible on site
• Silica tasks identified and OSHA Table 1 controls in place before cutting
• Wet/vacuum dust controls used on tile/stone/concrete cutting
• Required PPE (eye, hearing, respiratory) worn for the task
• Adhesives/sealers handled per label/SDS
• Dust cleaned with HEPA/wet methods, not dry sweeping or compressed air
• Jobsite kept clear of trip and tool hazards

This is a free, source-anchored standard operating procedure (SOP) you can print and hand to staff. It documents the work sequence for a Flooring business — not safety or regulatory rulings, which defer to the cited authorities, the applicable code, and your own health-and-safety plan. Open the tool above to print it, toggle ink-saver, or (with a free ToolFluency Business account) edit it to match your own workflow.

Sources

• OSHA (respirable crystalline silica, 1926.1153) (https://osha.gov)
• NTCA/TCNA (tile cutting practices) (https://tcnatile.com)
• Product label/SDS + business safety plan