This new Instruction establishes OSHA’s field inspection and enforcement procedures designed to ensure uniformity when addressing respirable crystalline silica exposures in the workplace. These two new expanded health standards, general industry/maritime (29 CFR § 1910.1053) and construction (29 CFR § 1926.1153), were published in the Federal Register on March 25, 2016, and became effective June 23, 2016. The two new standards adopted a new permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 micrograms of respirable crystalline silica per cubic meter of air (μg/m³) as an 8-hour time-weighted average. Except as noted below, the general industry and maritime employers had until June 23, 2018, to comply with the requirements of 29 CFR § 1910.1053. The silica standards establish a PEL of 50 μg/m³ and an action level (AL) of 25 μg/m³ for the three major forms of crystalline silica (i.e., quartz, cristobalite, and tridymite) for the general, maritime, and construction industries.
Here are some key dates and requirements for these standards: