MSHA Proposes Silica Standard
Post date
July 29, 2023
Body
On July 13, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) issued a proposal to update its existing standards to better protect miners against occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica, and to improve respiratory protection for all airborne hazards. MSHA’s proposal would cut the current permissible exposure limit (PEL) of respirable crystalline silica by half to 50 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m3).
The proposal would also include other requirements, such as exposure sampling, corrective actions to be taken when miner exposure exceeds the permissible exposure limit, and medical surveillance. Additionally, the proposal would replace existing requirements for respiratory protection.