Osha Extends Silica Exposure Guidance

“Controlling Silica Exposures in Construction” is the latest OSHA document providing employers in concrete and masonry best practices for curtailing worker exposure to crystalline silica-bearing respiratory dust

Sources: Occupational Safety and Heath Administration, Washington, D.C.; CP staff

Controlling Silica Exposures in Construction is the latest OSHA document providing employers in concrete and masonry best practices for curtailing worker exposure to crystalline silica-bearing respiratory dust. The 72-page guide examines quartz as the primary form of crystalline silica, and its prevalence in concrete, mortar, brick and aggregate. Chapters profile potential exposure in concrete or masonry sawing, grinding, tuckpointing and jackhammeringÒÒmeasuring typical crystalline dust levels against OSHA permissible exposure limit benchmarks. A Controlling Silica Exposures pdf can be viewed or downloaded from http://www.osha.gov/Publications/3362silica-exposures.pdf.

The publication adds to a growing library of silica exposure guidance, including a three-year old website http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/products/topics/concreteproducts/index.html, profiled by Concrete ProductsÌ Compliance Matters columnist Robert Eckhardt http://concreteproducts.com/mag/concrete_osha_website_details/index.html.