On March 25, 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a final rule regarding respirable crystalline silica. Under this rule, employers are subject to new standards for protecting workers. The rule became effective on June 23, 2016.
However, employers in the construction industry had until Sept. 23, 2017, to comply with the rule. Employers in the maritime and general industries had until June 23, 2018, to comply.
The rule includes standards that dramatically reduced the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for respirable crystalline silica to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air (50 μg/m3). The rule also requires employers to implement specific measures to protect workers.
This Compliance Overview presents a high-level summary of OSHA’s final rule regarding respirable crystalline silica.