Casella, international providers of dust, noise and vibration monitoring solutions, welcomes the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard on silica exposure levels expected in September 2017. Casella encourages employers to use the Apex2 personal dust sampling pump range to monitor individual exposure effectively and ensure worker protection.
Approximately 1.7 million workers in the U.S. are exposed to respirable crystalline silica in a variety of industries and occupations.1 The latest OSHA regulation for exposure to respirable crystalline silica comes into force in September 2017. It highlights a new effort to tackle the preventable diseases that can develop as a result of exposure, including silicosis and lung cancer. This standard is part of a zero-tolerance approach and will reduce the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air averaged over an 8-hour shift.2 Employers will also be required to use engineering controls to limit exposure limits and worker access to high- exposure areas, develop written exposure control plans, and train workers on silica risks and how to limit exposures.3