Ready, Set: New Silica Standards Are Almost A Go
- Evaluate employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica over an eight-hour day.
- Protect employees from respirable crystalline silica exposures over the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 μg/m³, averaged over eight hours.
- Implement safer techniques and dust controls to reduce silica exposure.
- Provide employees with respirators when controls are not effective in reducing employee exposure below the PEL.
- Restrict employee access to areas where they may be exposed to respirable crystalline silica above the PEL.
- Prohibit the use of housekeeping methods that create airborne silica dust, such as dry sweeping and brushing and using compressed air, if feasible. Use methods such as wet sweeping or HEPA-filtered vacuums to remove dust instead.
- Write an exposure control plan.
- Offer medical examinations every three years to workers at or over the action level for at least 30 days a year. Keep records of the results of those medical examinations and employee exposure assessments.
- Train employees on work operations that result in exposure to crystalline silica and control methods that should be used to reduce exposure. Many businesses in the industry are still working toward compliance. You may have concerns about whether your company is ready for these rules and what other steps you should take. Pinnacol’s industrial hygienists can assist policyholders in evaluating respirable crystalline silica exposure at your worksite. Contact us at safetyoncall@pinnacol.com or 303.361.4700.
