OSHA Expects to Complete Silica Rule in February 2016
The final rule has been in development for more than 15 years. It would halve the current limit for general industry.
AIHA reports that OSHA's fall 2015 regulatory agenda projects that its final rule for occupational exposure to crystalline silica will be completed in February 2016, according to the association's news release. The rule has been in development for more than 15 years.
OSHA received more than 1,700 comments on the proposed rule issued two years ago and is now reviewing material in the rulemaking record,according to AIHA.
The proposed rule would set a new permissible exposure limit for respirable crystalline silica of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, calculated as an eight-hour time-weighted average. This is half of the current 100 micrograms limit for general industry and well below the 250 micrograms limit for construction and shipyards.