Silica Dust Air Monitoring for OSHA and MSHA

Both OSHA and MSHA silica standards require a comprehensive exposure control plan, which must be administered by a person with knowledge, authority, and ability to eliminate or minimize silica dust hazards. Does your company have that person?

Why outsource your silica testing to a professional safety provider?

OSHA and MSHA each have similar, yet different standards (in fact, OSHA has two) for respirable silica dust, an irritant created by cutting, grinding, crushing, or drilling most types of stone, rock, concrete, brick, or mortar.

By employing SITEX to manage your silica testing and exposure control plan, you get a person dedicated to this supervisory position – without the need to burden one or more of your staff members with additional duties. Furthermore, you can rest assured the supervisor is adequately trained and certified to carry out the detailed requirements of whichever standard applies to you.

*SITEX provides monitoring services for facilities where silica dust is commonly and frequently emitted and MSHA or OSHA-compliant exposure control plans are likely required.

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Air Silica Compliance

How to comply with the OSHA Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard

In addition to adhering to the established permissible exposure limit (PEL), the OSHA silica standard requires an exposure control plan. This plan, which must be administered by a person with knowledge, authority, and ability to eliminate or minimize silica dust hazards, should:

Establish a PEL of 50 micrograms per cubic meter (50 μg/m³) over an 8-hour time-weighted average.
Maintain a list of exposure and control methods used to protect workers.
Establish guidelines that restrict workers to potentially dangerous activities or environments.
Acknowledge practices that expose workers to silica when practical alternatives are available.
Provide access to medical exams every three years for workers required by the standard to wear a respirator for 30+ days per year.
Offer training to workers on tasks that result in silica exposure.
Provide education on ways to limit exposure.
Maintain accurate records of exposure measurements, objective data, and medical exams as required.

The person charged with implementing the exposure control plan is also responsible for regularly inspecting worksites and equipment.

How to comply with the MSHA Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard

To ensure compliance with MSHA's respirable silica dust standard, mine operators must develop and implement a comprehensive exposure control plan. This plan, which should be managed by an individual with the necessary knowledge, authority, and capability to reduce or eliminate silica dust hazards, should include the following:

Establish a PEL of 100 micrograms per cubic meter (100 μg/m³) over an 8-hour time-weighted average.
Maintain a record of exposure levels and the control methods employed to protect miners.
Establish protocols to limit miners' exposure to potentially hazardous dust-generating activities or environments.
Recognize and evaluate practices that expose miners to silica dust, especially when safer, practical alternatives are available.
Implement engineering controls, such as ventilation and water sprays, to minimize silica dust levels.
Train miners on tasks that involve silica exposure and educate them on best practices for reducing risk.
Ensure workers are informed about silica hazards and the methods available to minimize exposure.
Keep accurate records of dust monitoring results, control measures, and training programs as required by MSHA.

The individual responsible for the exposure control plan must also conduct regular inspections of worksites, equipment, and control measures to ensure continued compliance and safety.

Silica Dust testing

As for the testing itself, expertise with the equipment and guidance is necessary to understand where to place the equipment and how to utilize it properly. A professional safety consultant can ensure your monitoring is accurate, effective, and meets either OSHA or MSHA regulatory requirements.

Utilizing an outsourced expert in silica air monitoring reduces your liability by sharing the responsibility of compliance. Additionally, the third party is independent and not influenced by company behaviors that could compromise compliance.

Silica Dust Monitoring Resources

You have silica dust questions. We have answers.

Want to learn more about air silica testing and compliance? Refer to our article Meeting the OSHA Silica Standard: How Do I Test for Compliance?, which answers key questions, including:

Where does respirable crystalline silica come from?
What is the OSHA Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard?
How do I comply with the OSHA Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard?
How does silica air testing work?
Why outsource your silica testing to a professional safety provider?

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