In brief
The Regulation on Dust Control places obligations of prevention, measurement and health surveillance on every workplace where dust exposure may occur. Dust measurement is carried out at intervals set in the risk assessment and whenever exposure conditions change; results are compared with the limit values in Annex 1. The workplace physician determines the frequency of health surveillance and the interval for chest X-rays meeting the ILO standard; records are kept for 15 years after the employee leaves.
Who does the Regulation on Dust Control cover?
The Regulation on Dust Control (Official Gazette 05.11.2013, issue 28812) applies to every workplace within the scope of Law No. 6331 where dust exposure may occur because of the work employees do (Art. 2). There is no limit by sector, hazard class or number of employees. Grinding in a metalworking shop, sand preparation in a foundry, sanding in a furniture workshop, marble and ceramic cutting, and cement and flour bagging are all within scope.
Knowing a few definitions in the regulation makes it easier to read measurement reports (Art. 4):
- Respirable dust: Crystalline or amorphous dust with an aerodynamic equivalent diameter of 0.1–5 microns, and fibrous dusts with a diameter of less than 3 microns and a length at least three times their diameter. It is the fraction that reaches the deep regions of the lung.
- Inert dust: Dust that causes no structural or functional disorder even if it reaches the lung.
- Crystalline SiO₂: Quartz, tridymite and cristobalite. The source of the risk of silicosis.
- Dust measurement: Determining the amount of dust in the ambient air on a gravimetric basis, and by fibre count for fibrous dusts.
The employer's prevention obligations
Art. 5 of the regulation obliges the employer to take all necessary measures to prevent dust exposure and lists them in order of priority. The table below shows what each measure means in metal and furniture businesses:
| Measure (Art. 5/2) | Example in a metal and machinery business | Example in a furniture and woodworking business |
|---|---|---|
| Substitution | A less hazardous abrasive instead of silica sand in blasting | Machining methods that produce less dust |
| Work organisation and collective protection | Carrying out grinding in a separate enclosure | Separating the sanding section |
| Engineering methods | Extraction at source on grinding benches, wet cutting | Machine-based dust collection system, hand sanders with extraction |
| Sufficient clean air | General ventilation and clean air supply | Air changes in an enclosed section |
| Personal protection | Respiratory protection suited to the nature of the dust | Dust mask of the appropriate class |
| Inspection and monitoring | Regular checks of extraction flow rate and filters | Cyclone and filter maintenance record |
| Waste | Disposal of dust waste under environmental legislation | Appropriate disposal of shavings and dust |
The order matters: a mask comes into play only when other measures are insufficient. Cleaning benches and clothing with compressed air is a habit that should be abandoned in dusty workplaces, because it lifts the dust back into the air; use vacuum cleaning instead. For selecting respiratory protection, see our guide to PPE use.
In the risk assessment, particular account is taken of the type of dust, its health and safety hazards, the level, duration and frequency of exposure, the Annex 1 limit values, dust measurement results, the measures to be taken and the results of any previous health surveillance (Art. 6/2).
Is dust measurement mandatory?
Yes; however, its frequency is not set as a fixed period in the regulation but depends on the workplace's own risk assessment. Under Art. 8 of the regulation, the employer:
- Has dust measurements carried out at periodic intervals determined by the risk assessment.
- Has the measurement repeated whenever there is a change in the conditions of dust exposure: such as a new machine, a different material, a change to the extraction system or an increase in production.
- Evaluates the results by comparing them with the occupational exposure limit values in Annex 1.
- Ensures that measurements to be used in inspections are carried out by laboratories holding a pre-qualification or qualification certificate from the General Directorate of OHS (ISGGM).
If the limit value is exceeded, the regulation requires the concentration to be reduced by methods such as preventing or suppressing the dust at source and the measurement to be repeated; work is permitted once the dust concentration is found to be at or below the required value (Art. 9/2).
The laboratory carrying out the measurement notifies İSG-KATİP (the Ministry's online OHS registration system) of the measurement at least 3 days in advance. Bursa Sistemer does not have its own laboratory; we plan measurements with authorised laboratories and health institutions and record the results in the risk assessment. The 2026 base administrative fine for failing to have the required measurements carried out is 33,326 TL; for other amounts, see our OHS administrative fines tool.
Limit values and an example calculation for quartz
Annex 1 gives 8-hour time-weighted average limit values for total and respirable dust by substance. A few commonly encountered values:
| Dust | Respirable | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Inert or nuisance dust | 5 mg/m³ | 15 mg/m³ |
| Quartz (crystalline silica) | 10 / (%SiO₂ + 2) mg/m³ | 30 / (%SiO₂ + 2) mg/m³ |
| Cristobalite and tridymite | Half the value found with the quartz formula | Half the value found with the quartz formula |
| Coal dust (5% or less SiO₂) | 2.4 mg/m³ | — |
| Asbestos | 0.1 fibres/cm³ | — |
For quartz, the limit value is not fixed; it is calculated according to the proportion of crystalline silica in the dust. Example: a laboratory report shows that the respirable dust in a foundry sand preparation area contains 10% crystalline SiO₂.
- Respirable dust limit value = 10 / (10 + 2) = 0.83 mg/m³
- If the measured respirable dust is 1.2 mg/m³, the limit value has been exceeded, even though the same measurement looks "low" against the inert dust limit (5 mg/m³).
This example shows why it is misleading to take comfort from the total dust figure in the report: for silica-containing dusts, the decisive factors are the respirable fraction and the silica content. For the asbestos value in the table, the Regulation on Health and Safety Measures in Work with Asbestos is also taken into account.
Health surveillance: the role of chest X-rays and lung function tests
The fourth section of the regulation sets out how health surveillance is carried out in dusty work:
- Examinations are carried out using the pre-employment and periodic examination form annexed to the Regulation on Workplace Physicians (Art. 10/1-a).
- The frequency of health surveillance is determined by the workplace physician, taking into account the risk assessment, dust measurement results and the type of dust; a health record is kept for each employee (Art. 10/1-b).
- Chest X-rays are taken in the examination situations set out in Art. 15 of Law No. 6331 and at the frequency set by the physician, to a standard meeting the ILO International Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconioses (Art. 11/1). A standard radiograph is taken at a size of at least 35x35 cm or digitally.
- In workplaces where dusts containing asbestos and quartz may be present, radiographs are evaluated by "reader" physicians trained in the ILO classification (Art. 11/3). For other dusts, the workplace physician carries out the evaluation and, if necessary, refers it to a reader (Art. 11/5).
The pulmonary function test (PFT) is not given a separate frequency in the articles of the regulation; however, the Pneumoconiosis Diagnostic Scheme in Annex 2 lists pathology in pulmonary function tests among the decision criteria, together with exposure history, symptoms and the chest X-ray. In practice, the PFT is planned as a baseline at the pre-employment examination and as a test repeated at intervals set by the physician. For the general logic of tests, see our guide to periodic examinations.
Employees found to be Category 0 in the reader's evaluation are monitored with periodic examinations; those found to be Category 1 or above are referred to health service providers authorised by the Social Security Institution (SGK) (Art. 12). The employer is obliged to provide the working conditions specified in the report of the institution that diagnoses the occupational disease (Art. 13). For the occupational disease process, see our guide to occupational diseases. Planning examinations and tests is part of our health surveillance service.
Training and information
In dusty work, employee training includes the following topics in particular, in addition to general OHS training (Art. 15): information obtained from the risk assessment, the type of dust in the workplace and its health risks, occupational diseases and limit values, what employees need to do to protect themselves and others, and the correct use and maintenance of personal protective equipment. Under the 2026 training regulation, the section on job- and workplace-specific risks is delivered face to face in hazardous and very hazardous workplaces; demonstrate the mask fit check in practice in this section.
Common shortcomings
The most common shortcomings found in dust-related inspections at metal and machinery and furniture businesses are:
- No dust measurement ever having been carried out, or the measurement covering only total dust without analysing the silica content
- The measurement not being repeated even though the extraction system has changed
- Chest X-rays not being taken to the ILO standard, or not being evaluated by a reader in a workplace with quartz exposure
- Personal health files not being kept for employees who have left
- Filter and flow rate checks of the extraction system not being recorded
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dust measurement mandatory, and how often is it carried out?
Measurement is mandatory in workplaces with dust exposure. The regulation does not give a fixed frequency; the measurement is repeated at intervals set in the risk assessment and whenever exposure conditions change. To be valid in an inspection, it must be carried out by a laboratory holding a qualification certificate.
What is the difference between respirable dust and total dust?
Total dust is the entire amount of dust in the air. Respirable dust is the fine fraction that can reach the deep regions of the lung. For harmful dusts such as silica, it is mainly the respirable fraction that determines the health risk; that is why Annex 1 gives two separate limit values.
Should employees in dusty work have a chest X-ray every year?
The regulation does not set a fixed interval. The workplace physician determines how often chest X-rays are taken, taking into account the risk assessment, measurement results and the employee's health status. The radiograph must be taken to a standard meeting the ILO classification.
Is providing a dust mask enough?
No. The regulation first requires substitution, work organisation, engineering measures and ventilation. Personal protective equipment is used when these measures are insufficient, and it is selected to suit the nature of the dust.
A risk assessment that identifies and scores hazards on site, links each measure to an owner and a date, and has a clear renewal schedule.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.