On September 23, 2017, OSHA's silica dust rule went into effect, but many in residential construction have expressed doubts about OSHA's vigilance enforcing this rule under the current administration. Some of the tea leaves we're reading include the fact that while the rule was delayed to give industries more time for training, mention of the rule has yet to appear in two primary OSHA training documents (OSHA 3824: Resource for Development and Delivery of Training to Workers and OSHA 2254: Training Requirements in OSHA Standards). And the proposed Department of Labor budget cites deep cuts to OSHA's enforcement budget, adding to the improbability of rigorous enforcement.
Whether or not OSHA enforces the rule may be a moot point, however. The real question is do you want your workers breathing silica dust? On residential sites, exposure to silica dust mostly comes from grinding and cutting concrete, stone, and brick, but silica might also be present in fiber-cement building products and drywall. Inhaling silica-laced dust can lead to silicosis, which is an incurable lung disease. Excessive exposure to silica can also lead to lung cancer, kidney disease, and pulmonary disease.
Tools of the Trade editor Chris Ermides provides an overview of the rule, and he rolls up a number of extremely useful industry resources - the compilation of information offered up by the tool manufacturers who make tools that cut, bore, break, pulverize, and crush concrete and masonry.
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