Since the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) began enforcing most provisions of its new respirable crystalline silica standards for the construction industry in September 2017, construction professionals have begun scrambling to understand what the standards mean for them. It has become clear that these new restrictions on workers’ exposure to silica dust are not going away, but few construction firms are ready to meet the standards.
For contractors that are not yet adhering to the latest silica dust standards, it is time to start working towards compliance.
What is silica dust?
Silica is a compound comprised of silicon and oxygen that makes up a significant percentage of the Earth’s crust. It is not dangerous by itself and it is a common ingredient in building materials such as concrete, glass, brick, ceramic and more. Once pulverized by sawing, grinding, crushing or drilling, however, silica turns into dust known as “respirable crystalline silica,” and this dust can cause health problems once inhaled.
What risks does silica dust pose?
According to OSHA, inhalation of respirable silica can increase risk of diseases such as silicosis (an incurable lung disease), lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or kidney disease. It can take a long time for symptoms to appear, so special precautions must be taken to monitor and control silica dust levels on jobsites to avoid difficult-to-detect, long-term issues.
What does OSHA’s new silica dust standard require?
OSHA’s new standard for the construction industry requires that employers maintain a permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 μg/m3 of respirable silica averaged over an eight-hour workday, which is similar to European requirements. OSHA also requires a written exposure control plan, recorded medical examinations every three years for workers wearing respirators 30 or more days a year, training for workers on silica dust exposure and mitigation, and records of worker exposure to silica.
How is silica dust exposure measured?
Specialized monitoring equipment is typically needed to determine the levels of respirable silica in the air at a jobsite. Personal dust sampling pumps (small devices that give accurate readings of actual worker exposure to dust) and various accessories are used to perform jobsite sampling. Personal sampling pumps draw controlled amounts of air through filters located near the nose and mouth. The filter will then need to be analyzed by an analytical laboratory.
What equipment does a company need to buy for monitoring?
There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to complying with OSHA’s silica dust standards because there are six different testing methodologies (OSHA ID-142, MSHA P2, MSHA P7, NMAM 7500, NMAM 7603 and NMAN 7602) allowed for respirable silica dust measurement, and different labs use different methods to analyze particulate samples based on the analytical equipment they have available. Without knowing what laboratory and testing methods are in use, it is difficult to make a comprehensive recommendation on sampling equipment, as there is variance in filter sizes and pump configurations depending on the testing methodology in use. A sampling equipment supplier would need to know what testing methodology a company’s laboratory partner uses to make a recommendation.
Can dust exposure be measured in the moment?
While air sampling pumps are good for taking representative samples of particulates in the air for later analysis, real-time dust monitors measure particulate for a quick snapshot of site conditions. This means in-the-moment decisions can be made more effectively with regard to the safety of the jobsite, detecting risk. However, personal air sampling with laboratory analysis must still be conducted on a more scheduled basis for compliance as real-time dust monitors can only show the total dust levels in the air and will not display the level of silica within the particulate.
How do companies get started towards compliance?
Start by reading through the OSHA standards to get an understanding of options around silica dust measurement and reporting. Next, choose an analytical laboratory partner and find out the testing method they use. Then talk to an established air sampling equipment provider. The right company will help identify problems, determine the magnitude of risk and be sure the company has the right technology to effectively measure dust levels and comply with OSHA requirements.
Regulatory change can be intimidating, especially if there isn’t a clear picture of how to comply. To date, holding off on meeting OSHA’s silica dust standards may not have hurt the bottom line, but OSHA’s mandate is being enforced, so companies not in compliance are at risk. Besides, given the long-term health risks associated with silica dust, the sooner a company begins meeting the latest standards, the better off its employees will be in the long run.
