![]() Employers may rely on existing data as long as the data continues to be sufficient to accurately characterize employee exposures. Therefore, OSHA has not specified exactly how often data should be collected for these purposes. Q: If an employer characterizes employee exposures under the performance option using objective data from real-time monitoring and exposure mapping, how often does the employer need to repeat the monitoring and mapping process?Ī: The goal of the performance option is to give employers flexibility to accurately characterize employee exposures using whatever combination of air monitoring data or objective data is most appropriate for their circumstances. If an employer does not know the percentage of silica in the dust, it can assume 100% of the respirable dust is silica for purposes of determining worst case exposures from real-time monitoring data under the standard. ![]() ![]() OSHA notes that in order to estimate the level of respirable crystalline silica in the air using real-time monitoring data, employers must also know the percentage of silica in the dust (e.g., from the analysis of a bulk sample or information from a safety data sheet). Data generated by real-time monitoring of respirable dust levels (conducted using direct-reading instruments) can be combined with exposure mapping to assess employee exposures under the performance option, provided that the data can be correlated with individual employee exposures and otherwise meet the requirements for objective data. Q: Can employers use data from real-time monitoring and exposure mapping to assess employee exposures under the performance option?Ī: Yes. Here are three frequently asked questions published in the OSHA General Industry FAQ. The areas highlighted are methods of compliance, exposure assessments, regulated areas, and communication of respirable silica hazards to employees. The goal of the new silica standard FAQ is to give further guidance to both companies and employees on the silica standard’s requirements. The new FAQs were created after talking to the general industry and industry stakeholders. Recently, OSHA released a brand-new silica standard Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) to offer some clarification. The fines could be the largest fines ever under the new silica standard. The regulation lowered the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) required dust controls as well as safer work techniques and called for employers to offer respirators to employees when other safe job techniques were unable to restrict respirable crystalline dust exposure.Įmployers need to evaluate the exposure of each worker that is or may reasonably be anticipated to be subjected to respirable crystalline silica at or above the authorized limit making use of either an efficiency alternative or a set up monitoring option.Īccording to Bloomberg Environmental, a Virginia construction company was issued five citations for crystalline silica violations totaling $304,130 USD. The building and construction sector’s conformity day was Oct. Industrial sectors had between one and five years to fully comply with the new standard. The controversial crystalline silica guideline from OSHA took effect on June 23, 2016. Donnie Bogan saws cutting lines in concrete, licensed under the terms of the United States Government Work.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |