The Construction Safety Council (CSC) has launched a new initiative focused on educating construction workers about silica exposure and related safety practices.
This initiative aims to reduce the risk of silicosis, a serious lung disease caused by inhaling to respirable crystalline silica, also known as silica dust or quartz dust. The CSC's efforts include training programs and resources that address exposure limits, engineering controls, work practices, and respiratory protection for common construction tasks.
Click here to access silica dust information in poster, printable leaflet, or web leaflet format.
In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Mine Safety and Health Administration issued a final rule lowering the permissible exposure limit of respirable crystalline silica to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air for a full-shift exposure, calculated as an 8-hour time-weighted average. If a miner’s exposure exceeds the limit, the final rule requires mine operators to take immediate corrective actions to come into compliance.
Water well contractors can also be exposed to silica dust hazards at jobsites, and it’s important to look controls to limit the hazard and consider respirator use (video by John Fowler, CSP, CMSP). Click here to watch the Fowler video on respirator tips for silica.