OCCUSAFE UPDATE
Monthly Round Up of Important Ideas and Standards in
Industrial Hygiene and Safety
June 2018
IN THIS ISSUE: Enforcement Launch of New OSHA Silica Standard for General Industry and Maritime
After a two year delay after the effective date of its enactment, the Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard for general industry and maritime becomes enforceable on June 23, 2018. As per OSHA 1910.1053, the new standard establishes an Action Level of 25 ug/m3 and a Permissible Exposure Limit of 50 ug/m3. It also has requirements for an exposure assessment, regulated areas, engineering controls and work practices, respiratory protection, housekeeping, medical surveillance, and communication of hazards (including signage and training), and recordkeeping.
The Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of OSHA, Galen Blanton, issued a directive that during the first 30 days of enforcement OSHA will carefully evaluate good faith efforts to comply with the standard and aid in employe compliance. If during an inspection, the compliance officer finds the company is not making any efforts to comply, he/she will conduct air monitoring in accordance with OSHA procedures and consider citations for non-compliance with any applicable sections of the new standard. Any proposed citations related to inspections conducted in this 30-day time period will require National Office review prior to issuance.To ensure effective implementation and uniform enforcement of the new standard, OSHA has developed interim inspection and citation guidance to be released in the coming weeks.
The OSHA Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard for Construction became effective on September 23, 2017. For more information on that subject see OSHA 1926.1153.
For more information on this topic and to discuss your company’s safety and industrial hygiene needs call OccuSafe at (214) 662-6005 or visit us at www.occusafeinc.com.
OccuSafe Industrial Hygiene & Safety, Inc. provides skills and expertise to recognize, evaluate and control hazards and injuries in the areas of industrial hygiene, occupational safety and health. OccuSafe services companies of all sizes in a range of industries.
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