OSHA's Silica Rule for Construction
Watch our webinar to determine how these regulations apply to your company.
Watch our webinar to determine how these regulations apply to your company. Watch Webinar Write a Plan Construction requirements are more geared toward methods of controlling exposures and silica exposure sampling.
⚡ TL;DR: OSHA’s construction silica rule requires companies to either follow Table 1 dust control methods or conduct exposure sampling if silica levels could reach 25 µm³. Non-compliance exposes workers to respiratory hazards and companies to six-figure penalties—ensure your site is following approved control methods or has documented sampling results.
Table 1
The construction standard has a table of common construction tasks and the instructions on how to control dust for each. This is referred to as Table 1. As long as your company is following the actions required of Table 1, your company will not be required to conduct sampling and won’t be subject to the PEL requirement. Please note that some of the instructions in Table 1 require workers to wear respirators. If your workers currently do not wear respirators, use of respirators will trigger the need to comply with 29 CFR 1910.134 for use of respirators. This would include developing a written respiratory protection program, annual respirator physicals, annual respirator training and annual respirator fit-testing. Contact us here for a copy of Table 1
⚠️ What’s at stake: Non-compliance with silica controls can result in OSHA penalties up to $185,000+ per violation, plus potential worker exposure claims. Workers breathing silica dust face serious lung disease (silicosis), which can be career-ending and irreversible.
What if You Don’t Want to Follow Table 1?
More on Silica Exposure Sampling
Employers who choose not to follow the guidance of Table 1 will then be subject to the requirements of the action level and the PEL. This triggers the additional sampling and monitoring requirements that the general industry standard requires. Employers will need to conduct exposure monitoring for silica if the potential for exposure could be at or above an action level of 25 µm3 (micrograms per cubic meter of air), averaged over an 8-hour day. The PEL is 50 µm3, averaged over an 8-hour day (the old PEL for construction was 250 µm3). Affected employees must be notified in writing of assessment results and if it’s above the PEL, the notification will need to include what’s being done to control exposures. If results are above the action level but below the PEL, sampling will need to occur every 6 months until exposures are below the action level for 2 consecutive measurements. If results are above the PEL, sampling will need to occur every 3 months until exposures are below the action level for 2 consecutive measurements. Unless the potential for silica exposure is 0%, if there’s even a slight potential for silica exposures, it’s best to conduct the sampling to know exactly what your exposure levels are for documentation purposes. Documentation of your exposure assessment is very important for your recordkeeping files and shows due diligence with the standard. Anyone above the PEL and not using Table 1 must take measures to protect workers from exposure. Dust controls need to be used to protect workers from exposures above the PEL. When dust controls don’t work, respirators are required.
Is your construction site actually protected against crystalline silica exposure? Or are you assuming Table 1 compliance without verification? iSi’s industrial hygiene team helps construction companies document silica exposure controls, conduct required sampling, and establish respiratory protection programs that withstand OSHA scrutiny. Get started →
Other Requirements for Construction
Medical Exams — Medical exams that include chest X-rays and lung function tests must be offered to workers who are required by the standard to wear respirators for 30 or more days per year. These exams must be offered every 3 years.
Competent Person — Your company will need to designate a competent person to implement the your written exposure control plan.
Restricted Access — Procedures for how your company will restrict access to work areas where high exposures may occur must be included in your written exposure control plan.
Compliance Deadlines
Employers must comply with all requirements of the standard by September 23, 2017. If your company chooses to use exposure sampling and laboratory analysis, then the compliance deadline for laboratory evaluation of exposure samples is June 23, 2018.
Now What? How Can iSi Help You With This Standard?
iSi is here to help your company comply with this new standard. We can assist with:
- Compliance Determinations, Audits and Checklists – Helping you determine if this standard applies to you, evaluating your site for exposure potential, determining areas needing warning signs or restricted access, and making a compliance checklist for you
- Exposure Sampling – Sampling your facility or construction sites for exposure levels, arranging for lab analysis of samples, preparing documentation for recordkeeping, and preparing your written employee notices
- Written Program Development – Preparing your exposure control plan or respiratory protection program
- Training – Silica training and respiratory protection training
- Respirator Fit-Testing – Annual respirator fit-testing (after your medical surveillance is complete)
- Answering Questions – Our safety and industrial hygiene experts on-staff can help you with any other questions you may have.
Contact us today with questions or pricing requests. Attend our webinar to determine how these regulations apply to your organization. Register
💰 The cost of non-compliance: OSHA penalties for silica violations average $150,000-185,000 per violation. Worker exposure without proper controls can result in silicosis claims exceeding $250,000 in medical costs and lost productivity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Table 1 in OSHA’s construction silica rule?
A: Table 1 in the construction silica standard lists common construction tasks and the required dust control methods for each task. If employers follow Table 1’s guidance, they avoid the need for silica exposure sampling and do not need to meet the PEL requirement, simplifying compliance for many construction operations.
Q: What are the action level and PEL for silica in construction?
A: The action level for crystalline silica is 25 micrograms per cubic meter (µm³), and the PEL is 50 µm³, both averaged over an 8-hour workday. This represents a significant reduction from the previous construction PEL of 250 µm³, requiring stricter exposure controls across the construction industry.
Q: When must employers conduct silica exposure sampling under the construction standard?
A: Employers who do not follow Table 1 must conduct sampling if there is potential for silica exposure at or above the action level. If results are above the action level but below the PEL, sampling must occur every 6 months until exposures fall below the action level for 2 consecutive measurements.
Every successful silica compliance program starts with understanding whether you’re truly following Table 1 or if you’re exposed at the action level. iSi Environmental helps construction companies verify silica exposure controls through sampling, documentation, and respiratory protection programs that pass inspection. Schedule a compliance review →
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