OSHA’s Final Rule:
Crystalline Silica Safety

Last summer, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released an updated rule to help minimize employee risk from exposure to respirable crystalline silica. The one-year compliance date for the construction industry is coming up on June 23, 2017.

According to OSHA, an estimated 2.3 million people in the U.S. are exposed to silica dust at work. This puts workers at risk for debilitating — and potentially deadly — diseases, such as silicosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease. The organization estimates that its final rule will save more than 600 lives, and prevent more than 900 new cases of silicosis each year once its effects are fully realized.