OSHA Announces Final Rule on Silica Exposure

 The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a final rule to improve protections for workers exposed to respirable silica dust. The rule will curb lung cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease in America’s workers by limiting their exposure to respirable crystalline silica. The rule changes the Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL) from the current levels of 100µg/m3 of air in general industry (250µg/m3 in construction) to 50µg/m3, averaged over an eight-hour shift. In addition, OSHA affirms in the rule the use of X-Ray Diffraction on silver membrane filters as one of two validated methods for detecting and quantifying airborne crystalline silica in the affected workplace environments.

Sterlitech silver membrane filters are an ideal tool to help keep at-risk workplace environments safe and in accord with the Department of Labor’s final ruling. Affected industries include foundries, abrasive blasting operations, paint manufacturing, glass and concrete product manufacturing, brick making, china and pottery manufacturing, manufacturing of plumbing fixtures, and many construction activities including highway repair, masonry, concrete work, rock drilling, and tuck-pointing. New uses of silica include countertop manufacturing, finishing, and installation (Kramer et al. 2012; OSHA 2015) and hydraulic fracturing in the oil and gas industry (OSHA 2012).

Citations: US LABOR DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES FINAL RULE TO IMPROVE U.S. WORKERS’ PROTECTION FROM THE DANGERS OF ‘RESPIRABLE’ SILICA DUST