Products greater than 7.5mm

James Hardie recommends the following safe working practices for use with products greater than 7.5mm thickness:

Cutting outdoors

1. Position cutting station so that wind will blow dust away from user or others in working area.
2. Use one of the following methods based on the required cutting rate:
   Best
     Dust reducing circular saw equipped with HardiBlade® Saw Blade and HEPA vacuum extraction
   Good
     Dust reducing circular saw with HardiBlade® Saw Blade

Sanding/Rebating/Drilling/Other machining

When sanding/rebating/drilling/machining you should always wear a P1 or P2 dust mask and warn others in the immediate area. Product specific

Important notes:

1. For maximum protection (lowest respirable dust production), James Hardie recommends always using "Best"- level cutting methods where feasible
2. NEVER use a power saw indoors
3. NEVER use a circular saw blade that does not carry the HardiBlade® logo
4. NEVER dry sweep - Use wet suppression or HEPA Vacuum
5. NEVER use grinders
6. ALWAYS follow tool manufacturer's safety recommendations

P1 or P2 respirators can be used in conjunction with above cutting practices to further reduce dust exposures. Additional exposure information is available at www.jameshardie.com.au to help you determine the most appropriate cutting method for your job requirements. If concern still exists about exposure levels or you do not comply with the above practices, you should always consult a qualified industrial hygienist or contact James Hardie for further information.

AND

Working instructions

Refer to Recommended Safe Working Practices before starting any cutting or machining of product.

HardiBlade® Saw Blade

The HardiBlade® Saw Blade used with a dust-reducing saw and HEPA vacuum extraction allows for fast, clean cutting of James Hardie fibre cement products. A dust-reducing saw uses a dust deflector or a dust collector connected to a vacuum system. When sawing clamp a straight-edge to the sheet as a guide and run the saw base plate along the straight edge when making the cut.

Hole-forming

For smooth clean cut circular holes:

* Mark the centre of the hole on the sheet.
* Pre-drill a ‘pilot' hole.
* Using the pilot hole as a guide, cut the hole to the appropriate diameter with a hole saw fitted to a heavy duty electric drill.

For irregular holes:

* Small rectangular or circular holes can be cut by drilling a series of small holes around the perimeter of the hole then tapping out the waste piece from the sheet face.
* Tap carefully to avoid damage to sheets, ensuring that the sheet edges are properly supported.