The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently issued a compliance directive designed to ensure uniformity in inspection and enforcement procedures when addressing respirable crystalline silica exposures in general industry, maritime and construction, according to www.osha.gov.
The new directive provides OSHA compliance safety and health officers with guidance regarding how to enforce the silica standards’ requirements, including methods of compliance; Table 1 tasks and specified exposure control methods; exposure assessments; housekeeping; respiratory protection; regulated areas; recordkeeping; employee information and training; medical surveillance; and communication of hazards.
The directive also provides clarity regarding major topics, such as alternative exposure control methods when a construction employer does not fully and properly implement Table 1, variability in sampling, multi-employer situations and temporary workers.
OSHA began enforcing most provisions of the construction standard in September 2017, with enforcement of the requirements for sample analysis starting in June 2018.
