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OSHA hasn't implemented new silica standards

September 28th, 2015 by Dakota Software Staff Industry News

OSHA hasn't implemented new silica standards

In 2013, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed new standards for the maximum allowable levels of exposure to repairable crystalline silica in the Federal Register. The National Institute for Occupation Safety and Health recommended allowable exposure limits for crystalline silica be cut in half in the 1970s. Since that time the OSHA made revisions safety compliance rules pertaining to silica exposure in 1989 in a regulation update that revised the allow able amounts of hundreds of air contaminants, according to The Center for Public Integrity.

Since the 1989 revisions went into effect, crystalline silica was made a top priority by OSHA several times and both the Bush and Obama administrations listed silica as a high priority. The revisions in 2013 showed OSHA's focus on the regulations, and the new standards are estimated to save around 700 workers' lives and prevent around 1,600 silica-related illnesses each year once enacted. 

OSHA has said that it expects to release a final rule by the end of 2016, according to The National Law Review. 

"We will get it out before the end of President Obama's term," said David Michaels, OSHA's chief, according to The National Law Review. 

Businesses argue new standards aren't necessary
Any decreases in the amounts of allowable exposure to crystalline silica would have an effect on general industry, maritime businesses and the construction sector. The 2013 revisions to the silica regulations cut the amount of silica exposure allowed in half, according to The National Law Review. While worker safety groups argue this revision of regulations is long overdue, the fact that the number of silica related deaths has decreased due to increased controls was made clear by the business community.

"We think the current standard has been working," said Dan Bosch, senior manager for regulatory policy at the National Federation of Independent Business, according to The National Law Review. "There hasn't been enough effort to help businesses comply with the rule as it currently stands."

According to a study by the Construction Industry Safety Coalition, the new silica regulations proposed by OSHA in 2013 would cost the construction industry around $5 billion per year. That number is about $4.5 billion more than OSHA reported. The report also showed that the new standards would cut a number of jobs from the industry - more than 52,000 annually. Jobs affected  include construction trades, material suppliers, equipment manufacturers, architects and even some non-construction related fields. That number only includes full-time positions. Part-time jobs would also be affected. 

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