Comment period begins for OSHA proposal on silica

OSHA has now entered the 90-day countdown period to receive comments on its proposed 755-page rule on exposure to respirable crystalline silica in general industry, construction, and shipyards.

A coalition of construction trade groups has already let it be known that they are opposed.

“We need practical, science-based solutions that protect workers in all facets of construction,” said Rick Judson, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a builder and developer from Charlotte, N.C. “Unfortunately, OSHA’s initial announcement about this proposed rule indicates we aren’t there yet.”

The proposed Permissible Exposure Limit of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air as an eight-hour time weighted average is half of the current standard for quartz, the most common form of crystalline silica, in general industry. It is considerably below the limits for crystalline silica now applied to construction and shipyards;

The proposed standard also includes requirements for exposure assessment, preferred exposure control methods, respiratory protection, medical surveillance, hazard communication, and recordkeeping.