Regulatory Info

FactSheet
OSHA’s Crystalline Silica Rule:
Construction
OSHA is issuing two standards to protect workers from exposure to respirable
crystalline silica—one for construction, and the other for general industry and
maritime—in order to allow employers to tailor solutions to the specific conditions
in their workplaces.
Who is affected by the construction
standard?
About two million construction workers are
exposed to respirable crystalline silica in over
600,000 workplaces. OSHA estimates that more
than 840,000 of these workers are exposed to
silica levels that exceed the new permissible
exposure limit (PEL).
Exposure to respirable crystalline silica can
cause silicosis, lung cancer, other respiratory
diseases, and kidney disease. Exposure can occur
during common construction tasks such as using
masonry saws, grinders, drills, jackhammers
and handheld powered chipping tools; operating
vehicle-mounted drilling rigs; milling; operating
crushing machines; and using heavy equipment
for demolition or certain other tasks.
Without dust controls, using a handheld power saw to cut concrete
can expose workers to high levels of respirable crystalline silica.
Photo: NIOSH
The construction standard does not apply where
exposures will remain low under any foreseeable
conditions; for example, when only performing
tasks such as mixing mortar; pouring concrete
footers, slab foundation and foundation walls;
and removing concrete formwork.
What does the standard require?
The standard requires employers to limit worker
exposures to respirable crystalline silica and to
take other steps to protect workers.
The standard provides flexible alternatives,
especially useful for small employers. Employers
can either use a control method laid out in Table 1
of the construction standard, or they can measure
workers’ exposure to silica and independently
decide which dust controls work best to limit
exposures to the PEL in their workplaces.
Regardless of which exposure control method is
used, all construction employers covered by the
standard are required to:
• Establish and implement a written exposure
control plan that identifies tasks that involve
exposure and methods used to protect workers,
including procedures to restrict access to work
areas where high exposures may occur.
• Designate a competent person to implement
the written exposure control plan.
• Restrict housekeeping practices that expose
workers to silica where feasible alternatives
are available.
• Offer medical exams – including chest X-rays
and lung function tests – every three years for
workers who are required by the standard to
wear a respirator for 30 or more days per year.