On June 8, 2018, OSHA announced it will offer a 30-day grace period for employers who make “good faith efforts” to comply with the OSHA silica rule. During this grace period, OSHA will offer compliance assistance to the employers mentioned above.
The new silica standard becomes enforceable for the general and maritime industries on June 23, 2018. The silica standard for the construction industry became effective on Sept. 23, 2017. The enforcement delay for qualifying employers in the general and maritime industries parallels the delay adopted for the enforcement of the silica standard for the construction industry.
Action Steps
Affected employers in the general and maritime industries that wish to use the 30-day grace period should prepare to prove they have made “good faith efforts” to comply with the rule.
Highlights:
- The final rule establishes a new permissible exposure limit for respirable crystalline silica.
- Employers must implement specific measures to protect workers.
- The intent of the rule is to reduce the risk of diseases caused by exposure to respirable crystalline silica.
Important Dates:
- March 25, 2016
Publication date for the final rule on respirable crystalline silica. - September 23, 2017
Enforcement for employers in the construction industry. - June 23, 2018
Enforcement for employers in the general and maritime industries.