Page 32 - Occupational Health & Safety, February 2018

INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
Everything You Need to Know About
OSHA’s Respirable Crystalline Silica Final Rule
The agency estimates that the new rule will save more than 600 lives and prevent more than 900 cases of silicosis each year.
BY CLARE EPSTEIN
In March 2016, OSHA published the final rule “Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica.” The rule marks the agency’s first updated silica regulation since 1971. This article provides
an overview of the rule’s requirements and what the future may hold for the regulation’s standards under the Trump administration.
What is Crystalline Silica?
A known carcinogen of the lungs, crystalline silica is a common component of many building materials, in- cluding soil, sand, granite, and concrete.
Workers can inhale tiny, respirable particles of crystalline silica while performing activities such as abrasive blasting with sand; sawing brick or concrete; sanding or drilling into concrete walls; grinding mor- tar; manufacturing brick, concrete, stone, or ceramic products; and cutting or crushing stone.
During these tasks, silica particles at least 100 times smaller than ordinary sand can enter workers’ lungs and lead to the formation of scar tissue, or even
silicosis—an incurable respiratory disease that in se- vere cases can be disabling or even fatal. Exposure to crystalline silica dust also can result in increased risks of lung cancer, kidney disease, and chronic obstruc- tive pulmonary disease (COPD).
OSHA estimates that approximately 2 million U.S. workers are exposed to crystalline silica at work.
In order to better tailor requirements to specific work environments, OSHA has issued two separate standards as part of the final rule—one for general industry and maritime and the other for the con- struction industry. Both standards include industry- specific requirements and controls that employers can follow to ensure compliance.
What Prompted This Rulemaking?
OSHA’s previous exposure limits for silica were more than 40 years old. For decades, scientific evidence has shown that the former exposure limits did not ade- quately protect workers from the adverse health risks associated with respirable crystalline silica.
26 Occupational Health & Safety | FEBRUARY 2018
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