The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute has named Midwest Industrial Supply a Premier Partner, affording producer members favored terms for the company’s plant and yard dust control solutions. Midwest has partnered with PCI since 2015, working in conjunction with the Institute to educate members on best practices to meet revised respirable silica dust exposure guidelines set by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.
The updated Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard for General Industry and Maritime standard establishes a new eight-hour time-weighted average permissible exposure limit and action level, plus associated ancillary requirements. The regulation enforces a reduction in the amount of silica that workers can be exposed to from 250 micrograms per cubic meter of air to 50 micrograms. Employers are required to use “engineering controls” such as vacuum dust collection or water-delivery systems to limit worker exposure to respirable silica dust and use respirators as required. Specified exposure control methods are referenced in OSHA Table 1, which is at the center of the new regulations for the construction industry. Most provisions became enforceable on June 23, 2018.
As the prestressed/precast concrete industry leader, PCI recommends that organizations manage all aspects of construction, including dust control, in order to reduce harmful exposure to respirable crystalline silica. By recognizing the efficacy of Midwest’s silica dust control programs and the company’s overall achievements in the dust control space, PCI will provide member organizations with a valuable resource for OSHA Crystalline Silica Rule compliance, increased worker safety, and better worksite efficiency. — Midwest Industrial Supply, Inc., Canton, OH, 866/662-3878; www.midwestind.com