Last year, OSHA released an official proposal to cut the silica exposure limit formula in half, to 50 micrograms of respirable crystalline silica per cubic meter of air over an eight-hour workday. In particular, the granite/stone industry is among those being targeted by OSHA, according to the document.
The comment period of this standard has once again been extended by OSHA, and the deadline is now February 11, 2014.
We encourage members of the natural stone industry -- particularly those who quarry or process stone -- to review this rule.
To read about the rule, visit https://www.osha.gov/silica/. The "Public Participation" tab allows for commentary on the proposed rule.
Those who wish to comment may also visit http://www.regulations.gov, and click comment now on Docket ID# OSHA-2010-0034.
The Construction Industry Safety Coalition on OSHA's Silica Rule has shared a letter that all industry members may customize and send to OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels. The focus of the letter is to document to OSHA that the proposed silica rulemaking is technologically and economically not feasible in the "real world" of the construction industry.
Additionally, Stuart Sessions of Environomics, a consultant to the CISC, has shared a draft of anticipated construction industry expenses in comparison to OSHA's data (from 2006) as a more realistic position for how the rule change may impact the construction industry.
