OSHA Delays Enforcement of Silica Rule

In April, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a delay in enforcement of the crystalline silica standard that applies to the construction industry to conduct additional outreach and provide educational materials and guidance for employers.

The agency has determined that additional guidance is necessary due to the unique nature of the requirements in the construction standard. Originally scheduled to begin June 23, 2017, enforcement will now begin Sept. 23, 2017.

OSHA expects employers in the construction industry to continue to take steps either to come into compliance with the new permissible exposure limit, or to implement specific dust controls for certain operations as provided in Table 1 of the standard. Construction employers should also continue to prepare to implement the standard’s other requirements, including exposure assessment, medical surveillance and employee training.

AGC will continue to fight this standard in court and advise OSHA on the problematic issues the construction industry faces with implementation. To provide contractors with a better understanding of what is expected of them by OSHA, the association has developed the Respirable Crystalline Silica in Construction webpage. The site includes a plain text summary of the rule; compliance flow chart; enhanced Table 1; and air monitoring and objective data collection form.