SILICA STANDARD
ARE YOU READY? Regardless of which exposure control method is used, all construction employers covered by the standard are required to:
Establish and implement a written exposure control plan that identifies tasks that involve exposure and methods used to protect workers, including procedures to restrict access to work areas where high exposures may occur.
Designate a competent person to implement the written exposure control plan.
Restrict housekeeping practices that expose workers to silica where feasible alternatives are available.
Offer medical exams-including chest X-rays and lung function tests-every three years for workers who are required by the standard to wear a respirator for 30 or more days per year.
Train workers on work operations that result in silica exposure and ways to limit exposure.
Keep records of exposure measurements, objective data, and medical exams.
Construction employers must comply with all requirements of the standard by September 23, 2017, except requirements for laboratory evaluation of exposure samples, which begin on June 23, 2018.
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