OSHA has conducted 502 inspections under an initiative focused on reducing respirable crystalline silica exposure for engineered stone fabrication and installation workers, according to agency officials speaking during a recent CPWR webinar.
Jennifer Kim, director of OSHA’s Office of Health Enforcement, said the Focused Inspection Initiative launched in September 2023 expanded enforcement and compliance assistance. Before the initiative, OSHA had completed nine inspections in this area. The effort also builds on OSHA’s February 2020 National Emphasis Program on respirable crystalline silica.
Kim said the most frequently cited item under the silica emphasis program is a failure to implement the controls listed in Table 1 of OSHA’s construction silica standard, 1926.1153. Table 1 lays out tasks and equipment, required engineering and work practice controls, and when respiratory protection is required for a full shift.
OSHA also highlighted the agency’s ongoing look at Table 1. In 2019, OSHA issued a request for information seeking additional engineering and work practice controls that limit exposures tied to the tasks already listed. Stephen Schayer, director of OSHA’s Office of Physical Hazards, said the agency has not advanced that work because of resource constraints. The Department of Labor’s regulatory agenda includes a potential proposed rule to revise Table 1 on its long-term actions list, which signals no progress for at least six months.
Sampling results from initiative-driven inspections underline the stakes. Kim said more than 1,000 air samples were taken, with 22.3% above the permissible exposure limit. Another 2.8% measured at least five times the limit, and 0.9% measured at least 10 times the limit.
For mason contractors and stone crews, the message is straightforward. Match each silica-generating task to Table 1, put the required controls in place, and document exposure assessments. Kim also stressed that employers need adequate controls in the field and shop, and they should not rely solely on personal protective equipment.
Read the full, original article from Safety+Health Magazine here.