Opposition to OSHA’s silica rule triggers lawsuits
Labor and business interests have raced to the courthouse to fire off lawsuits against OSHA’s new silica standard.
The rule, released March 25, targets general industry, construction, and maritime. A controversial provision lowers the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for worker exposure to a uniform 50 micrograms of respirable crystalline silica per cubic meter of air (µg/m3) averaged over an eight-hour shift. In addition, OSHA set an “action level” of 25 µg/m3, which triggers an employer requirement to conduct air monitoring and other mandates.