Do all paints contain silica? What is silica paint and what is it used for?

Question

The reason why I ask, is because my coworkers were grinding paint to remove it from the bottom of a metal shipping container. They were wearing dust masks, but I was just curious if this could have contained silica.

I did accidently enter the area for a brief second while they were grinding. I didn't know that they were grinding anything, but I walked in briefly and then quickly exited the building. I was just wondering if this brief second could have caused any harm.

Answer 1

silica is sand.  it is added to paint to make the paint non-slip.  it probably wasn't in the paint on the bottom of the shipping container.  it is bad for you,  but a few breaths is nothing to worry about (if indeed there was any in the air)