Silica Dust Monitors: Rent or Buy
Crystalline silica is a naturally occurring mineral found in sand, rock, and soil. The most common form, quartz, is present in construction materials such as concrete, mortar, brick, and stone.
PICK HOW YOU NEED TO MONITOR
Monitors to Rent for Crystalline Silica Dust
Personal monitors are worn by each worker and record that worker's own exposure. Area monitors measure at a fixed point, room or job site. Pick a style below, then compare every option in the table.
Top pick
Add-ons, kits and consumables
COMPARE OPTIONS
Crystalline Silica Dust monitors side by side
| Instrument | Monitoring | Detection method | Measures | Range | Resolution / accuracy | Averaging periods | Battery run time | Intrinsically safe | Data logging | Starting at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trolex AIR XS Area Silica Monitor | Area | Optical refraction (ORT) + light scatter (OPC) | Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) | Up to 25 mg/m³ continuous; 150 mg/m³ peak | 1 µg resolution; ±25% RCS accuracy | 15 min, 1, 4, 8 and 12 h rolling | AC power for continuous use or 10 hours on the 2-battery pack | No | Yes | $300.00 / day |
Air sampling pumps: sampling media required
These pumps don't give a reading on site. They draw a measured volume of air through sampling media, such as a filter cassette, cyclone or sorbent tube (sold separately), which is then sent to a lab for analysis.
| Instrument | Monitoring | Flow range | Battery run time | Intrinsically safe | Data logging | Starting at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GilAir Plus by Sensidyne GilianTop pick | Personal | Constant flow: 20–5,000 cc/min; Constant pressure: 1–5,000 cc/min | 10+ hours at 5 LPM | Yes | Yes | $45.00 / day |
| AirChek TOUCH by SKC | Personal | 5–500 ml/min (low-flow, requires low flow adapter); 1,000–5,000 ml/min constant flow | 20 hrs at 2000 ml/min | Yes | No | $45.00 / day |
Run times are manufacturer estimates and vary with configuration and conditions. Not sure? Talk to our team.
WHERE EXPOSURE OCCURS
Risks: Where Crystalline Silica Dust Exposure Occurs
Crystalline silica dust monitoring is important anywhere cutting, grinding, drilling, or crushing concrete, stone, brick, or masonry can generate respirable silica, including mining and quarry operations. Rent personal air sampling pumps and silica sampling media from RAECO Rents to document exposure on construction sites, during demolition, in fabrication shops, and for mining compliance programs. Our team can help confirm the right pump, flow rate, and sampling setup for your protocol, with fast turnaround and phone support so you can collect compliant samples and get clear results.
Countertop & stone fabrication
Cutting, grinding and polishing engineered stone, granite and quartz.
Typical setup: Personal sampling pumps for full-shift samples, plus real-time area silica monitoring.
Construction
Concrete cutting, drilling, tuckpointing and abrasive blasting.
Typical setup: Personal sampling pumps for full-shift exposure monitoring.
Foundries & manufacturing
Sand casting, shakeout and finishing operations.
Typical setup: Real-time area silica monitoring to find sources, plus personal sampling.
Mining & quarrying
Drilling, crushing and material handling.
Typical setup: Real-time area monitoring alongside personal sampling.
EXPOSURE LIMITS
Crystalline Silica Dust exposure limits
- TWA0.05 mg/m³ (50 µg/m³) [0.025 mg/m³ Action Level] [29 CFR 1910.1053]
- TWA0.05 mg/m³ (Ca — carcinogen, reduce to lowest feasible concentration)
- TWA0.025 mg/m³ (respirable particulate matter) [2009]
TWA = 8-hour time-weighted average (NIOSH RELs are 10-hour). STEL = 15-minute short-term limit. IDLH = immediately dangerous to life or health. Updated October 8, 2026.
Crystalline Silica Dust monitoring questions
All rental FAQs →Not sure which crystalline silica dust monitors fit your job?
Tell us where the hazard is and how many workers need coverage. We'll recommend the instrument, range and alarm settings.
For educational purposes only. Exposure limits are summarized from the cited agencies; confirm monitoring requirements for your site with a qualified safety professional.