08/20/18

New Silica FAQs for the Construction Industry

Source: AGC of America Senior Director, Safety and Health Services Kevin Cannon, CSP (703) 837-5410

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has just released a set of 53 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to provide guidance to employers and employees regarding OSHA’s respirable crystalline silica standard for construction.  Through the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC), the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) was heavily involved in the formulation of these FAQs.  The development of the FAQs stemmed from litigation filed against OSHA by numerous construction industry trade associations – including AGC – challenging the legality of OSHA’s rule.  OSHA has also agreed to issue a Request for Information (RFI) on Table 1 to revise the Table to improve its utility.  AGC will continue to look for ways to work with OSHA to improve the workability of this significant rule.

The FAQs are extensive and organized by topic.  A short introductory paragraph is included for each group of questions and answers to provide background information about the underlying regulatory requirements.  A  four-page document with some of the clarifications and a PDF version of all the FAQs has also been created.  AGC encourages its members to review all of the FAQs to assist in their compliance efforts. If you have any questions, please contact Kevin Cannon at (703)837-5410 or cannonk@agc.org. You can also contact Nazia Shah at (703)837-5409 or nazia.shah@agc.org.