OSHA's 29 CFR 1926.1153 requires respirable silica exposure stay below 50 µg/m³ 8-hour TWA. The easiest path to compliance for concrete crews is OSHA's Table 1 — pair a listed rotary hammer with a HEPA-filtered dust extractor and you don't need to do air monitoring. Milwaukee M18 FUEL + the 0970-20 HEPA vac is a Table 1-listed combo under $1,400 for a 2-man crew.
What Table 1 does for you
OSHA's silica standard has two compliance paths. Option A: Objective Data — monitor your actual exposure with a certified industrial hygienist and prove you're under 50 µg/m³. Expensive. Option B: Table 1 — use a pre-approved tool + dust-control combination and you're compliant by default.
Table 1 is the practical path for almost every small-to-mid concrete crew. You pick a listed rotary hammer or saw, pair it with the OSHA-listed shroud/vac combo, follow the duration rules (under/over 4 hrs, dust mask required over 4 hrs), and you're covered.
The cordless Table 1 combos that matter
Milwaukee 2715-22HD + 2 Gal HEPA vac (0970-20): Listed for drilling holes 1" or less with a dust-collection shroud. Kit plus vac runs ~$1,100-1,400. Covers 90% of electrical + concrete prep work.
DeWalt DCH293 + DWH304DH shroud + DWH161B HEPA vac: Similar spec, roughly $1,200-1,500 kitted. Table 1-listed for 1" rotary hammer drilling with shroud.
Milwaukee 2914-20 (1-3/4" SDS-Plus): Table 1-listed for holes up to 1-1/2" when paired with the approved shroud + HEPA vac. Better if you drill structural bigger holes.
What the crew needs to know
Every worker who touches concrete drilling, cutting, or grinding needs the Table 1 checklist posted on the job and a brief on what the dust-control combo is. This is a 10-minute toolbox talk, not a 4-hour course.
If you ever exceed 4 hours of cumulative silica-generating work in a shift, a respirator (minimum N95) becomes mandatory regardless of tool setup. Most small residential jobs stay under 4 hours and only need the dust extractor.
Fines for getting it wrong
OSHA silica citations in 2025 averaged $15,300 per violation. A "willful" violation (knowing the rule and ignoring it) starts at $156,259. Most small contractor citations are for missing the written exposure control plan — a 1-page document that takes 20 minutes to write and keeps you out of the penalty matrix.
Joshua runs Charged Tools out of St. Louis. Background spans e-commerce operations, software engineering, and hands-on tool use in the auto trades. Every editorial piece on this site is written or reviewed by Joshua before it ships.
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FAQ
Does Table 1 apply to a single-hole residential job?+
Yes, but the 4-hour rule means if you're drilling under 1/2 hour in a day, you're practically always compliant even without a vacuum, as long as you use the shroud. Full Table 1 compliance is most critical on sustained work (multi-hole electrical rough-in, full-day rebar drilling, saw cuts).
Can I use a Shop-Vac with a HEPA filter swap?+
Only if the full vacuum (motor housing + exhaust path) is rated HEPA-certified. A HEPA filter cartridge in a non-HEPA vac leaks around the motor housing and does not count for Table 1. Listed combos are always full-vac HEPA-certified like the 0970-20.
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