Concrete Polishers

Polished concrete floors are made by grinding the slab with finer and finer diamond tools. Each pass creates dust or slurry full of crystalline silica, and the machines are heavy, loud and powered by electricity or propane.

• Floor Crews
• Concrete
• Renovation

Hazards

• Silica dust: dry grinding creates large amounts. See Silica.
• Slurry: wet grinding makes alkaline slurry that burns skin and creates dust when dried. See Wet Cement & Concrete Burns.
• Heavy machines: grinders weigh hundreds of pounds and can pull away from the operator. See Concrete Floor Grinders.
• Chemicals: densifiers, stains, dyes and sealers. Some are flammable or irritating. See Solvents.
• Noise and vibration.
• Electrical shock with wet floors and long cords. See GFCI.
• Propane grinder exhaust and carbon monoxide indoors. See Carbon Monoxide.
• Lifting and bending to change tooling and move machines.

Controls

• Use wet grinding or grinders with shrouds connected to a HEPA dust extractor, as the silica rule requires. See Dust Extractors.
• Wear a respirator when controls do not keep exposures down. See Respiratory Protection.
• Collect slurry with a vacuum or squeegee, and dispose of it properly. Do not wash it down drains.
• Use electric grinders where possible indoors, or ensure strong ventilation and CO monitors for propane units.
• Keep cords out of water; use GFCI protection.
• Lockout/unplug the machine when changing tools.
• Wear hearing protection, safety glasses, waterproof boots and gloves.
• Use carts and lifts for machines and tooling, and lift with the legs.

Daily checklist

• Dust extractor and shroud are working
• GFCI outlets and cords checked
• SDSs available for all chemicals and products
• Ventilation set up, other trades kept out of dusty areas
• Wash up and change clothes before leaving, to avoid take-home dust

Last updated: October 8, 2026