OSHA Compliant Vacuum for Silica Dust and Which Ones Qualify

OSHA does not certify or approve any vacuum for silica dust. A vacuum or dust extractor qualifies under Table 1 of 29 CFR 1926.1153 when its airflow, filter efficiency and filter-cleaning mechanism meet the specification for the task it is used on.

The picks below were compared on those three points: published airflow against the task, stated filter efficiency, and the filter-cleaning mechanism.

• Grinders with 7, 9 or 11-inch wheels: Bosch GAS20-17AH (300 CFM).
• Drills, and grinders up to 6 inches: DeWalt DWV015, or the older DWV012.
• Shortest filter-cleaning interval: Bosch VAC140AH (every 15 seconds).
• Cleanup and hole cleaning only: Dustless Technologies D1606.
• Big grinders, outside Amazon: Forte F-26.

This page did not test any product. Every figure comes from the maker or a named retailer. We earn a commission if you buy through the Amazon links on this page; it does not change the picks.

Last updated: November 3, 2026.

29 CFR 1926.1153 sets 2 filter levels. Each level applies to a different job.

Tool-mounted dust collection. This covers a shroud or cowling on the tool, connected to an extractor. For handheld and stand-mounted drills (task vii), Table 1 requires 3 things:

• airflow equal to or greater than the tool manufacturer recommends
• a filter that is 99% efficient or greater
• a filter-cleaning mechanism

The same filter and cleaning requirements apply to walk-behind milling machines and floor grinders (task xiii).

Handheld grinders use a fixed airflow rule. The rule is 25 CFM per inch of wheel diameter. Rocket Supply works the rule out as follows:

• 4-inch wheel: 100 CFM
• 7-inch wheel: 175 CFM
• 9-inch wheel: 225 CFM
• 11-inch wheel: 275 CFM

Guardair states that the 25 CFM rule applies only to handheld tools. Walk-behind machines must meet the airflow the machine manufacturer specifies.

HEPA-filtered vacuuming. The standard defines a HEPA filter as at least 99.97% efficient at removing 0.3-micron mono-dispersed particles. Table 1 requires a HEPA-filtered vacuum in 2 situations:

• cleaning drilled holes (tasks vii and viii)
• picking up loose dust between passes with walk-behind milling machines and floor grinders indoors or in enclosed areas (task xiii)

HEPA filtration is not required at the tool. The 99% threshold applies there.

Housekeeping. Dry sweeping, dry brushing and compressed air without capture ventilation are prohibited cleanup methods. HEPA-filtered vacuuming and wet sweeping are the accepted alternatives. The housekeeping method belongs in the written exposure control plan.

What "OSHA compliant" means on a listing. The label is the seller's claim that the unit meets these specifications. OSHA publishes no approved list. Guardair states that OSHA does not require any specific cleaning mechanism, such as reverse pulse or a motorized shaker. Any effective method qualifies.

The Bosch GAS20-17AH is the only extractor on this page with enough airflow for every handheld grinder size in Table 1. Bosch rates it at 300 CFM, with a HEPA filter and automatic filter cleaning. Under the 25 CFM per inch rule:

• 7-inch wheel: 175 CFM needed
• 9-inch wheel: 225 CFM needed
• 11-inch wheel: 275 CFM needed

300 CFM clears all three, with headroom for a long hose, which loses airflow.

Drawback. It is a 17-gallon unit and the most expensive pick here. For drilling and small grinders it is more machine than the task needs.

Who should skip it. Crews whose largest wheel is 5 or 6 inches: the DWV015 or VAC140AH below covers them.

The Forte F-26 is sold through tool distributors, not Amazon. Rocket Supply lists it at 238 CFM, above the 175 CFM required for a 7-inch wheel and the 225 CFM for a 9-inch wheel. Rocket Supply describes it as having dual-stage HEPA H13 filtration.

Drawback. Rocket Supply gives the H13 rating as capturing at least 99.95% of particles around 0.3 microns. That is above the 99% required at the tool and below the 99.97% that 1926.1153 uses to define HEPA. If the unit will also be used for hole cleaning or housekeeping, confirm the filter rating with Forte.

Who should skip it. Crews running an 11-inch wheel: 238 CFM is short of the 275 CFM required. Rocket Supply lists the Forte F-36 at 285 CFM.

DeWalt rates the DWV015 at 155 CFM, with HEPA filters rated 99.97% at 0.3 microns that pulse clean every 30 seconds. That meets both filter levels in 1926.1153: 99% at the tool and HEPA for hole cleaning and housekeeping.

The DWV012 is the model it replaces. Pro Tool & Supply lists it as a 10-gallon extractor with 140 CFM airflow and automatic filter cleaning every 30 seconds. It is still widely sold and usually cheaper.

Drawback. Under the 25 CFM per inch rule, 155 CFM covers wheels up to 6 inches (150 CFM) and 140 CFM covers up to 5 inches (125 CFM). Neither reaches the 175 CFM a 7-inch wheel needs.

Who should skip it. Crews that grind with 7-inch or larger wheels.

Bosch rates the VAC140AH at 150 CFM, with a HEPA filter rated 99.97% at 0.3 microns and automatic filter cleaning every 15 seconds. The 15-second interval is the shortest published among the picks; a filter that clears often holds its airflow through a long cut.

Its 14-gallon tank sits between the DeWalt units and the GAS20-17AH. The smaller VAC090AH (9 gallons) has the same filter cleaning.

Drawback. 150 CFM covers grinder wheels up to 6 inches. It is below the 175 CFM required for a 7-inch wheel.

Who should skip it. Crews that run 7-inch or larger grinder wheels.

Pro Tool & Supply lists the Dustless Technologies Model 1606 as follows:

• 16-gallon capacity, the largest among the picks
• 126 CFM airflow
• 76.9 inches of water lift
• a 0.5-micron micro pre-filter

The same source states that the Dustless DC1600 pre-filter can extend main HEPA filter life "up to 30 times longer." That figure is the seller's claim.

Drawback. The source does not name a filter-cleaning mechanism for this model. Table 1 requires one for tool-mounted collection. Confirm the mechanism with Dustless Technologies before using the unit on a grinder or drill. At 126 CFM, it has the lowest airflow of the picks. That covers grinder wheels up to 5 inches.

Who should skip it. Anyone who needs more than 126 CFM at the tool.

Price. No price was published in the sources for this page.

Published figures (Pro Tool & Supply): 16 gallons. 126 CFM. 76.9 inches water lift. 0.5-micron micro pre-filter.

Table 1 pairs the extractor with a shroud or cowling on the tool. Without one, airflow and filter rating do not matter: the dust never reaches the hose.

• Surface grinding, DeWalt 4-1/2 and 5-inch grinders: the DeWalt DWE46151 kit fits DWE4 and D28 grinders.
• Any brand, 4 to 5-inch cup wheel: the Dustie universal shroud takes a standard 2-1/4 inch hose cuff.
• 7-inch cup wheel: the DustBuddie 7-inch, paired with an extractor of at least 175 CFM.
• SDS Plus rotary hammers: the DeWalt DWH303DH collects at the bit with its own HEPA filter, for drilling under Table 1's drill entry.

Check the shroud maker's fit list against the grinder model before ordering. Several buyers report shrouds that do not fit older grinder bodies.

• Bosch GAS20-17AH: grinders with 7, 9 or 11-inch wheels.
• DeWalt DWV015 (or DWV012): drills, and grinders up to 6 (or 5) inches.
• Bosch VAC140AH: the shortest filter-cleaning interval, for wheels up to 6 inches.
• Dustless Technologies D1606: housekeeping and hole cleaning, where a HEPA vacuum is what Table 1 names.
• Forte F-26: 7 and 9-inch grinders, bought through a distributor.

Not ranked here: the Makita VC4210L, Festool CT 36 AC and a RIDGID wet/dry vac with a HEPA filter. The VC4210L has a HEPA filter rated 99.97% at 0.3 microns and 148 CFM, but its filter-cleaning mechanism was not in the sources for this page.

A regular shop vac is a different question: see can a regular shop vac handle silica dust. The filter ratings are explained in OSHA HEPA vacuum requirements, and the rest of the rule in the OSHA silica standard explainer. The Table 1 checker gives the controls for each task.