OSHA's newest compliance directive, Inspection Procedures for the Respirable Crystalline Silica Standards, aims to ensure uniformity in inspection and enforcement procedures when the agency assesses respirable crystalline silica exposures in general industry, maritime and construction.

The new directive provides OSHA compliance safety and health officers with guidance on how to enforce the silica standards’ requirements, including:

• methods of compliance
• Table 1 tasks and specified exposure control methods
• exposure assessments
• housekeeping
• respiratory protection
• regulated areas
• recordkeeping
• employee information and training
• medical surveillance
• hazard communication 

The directive also aims to clarify guidance on several topics, such as alternative exposure control methods when a construction employer does not fully and properly implement Table 1; variability in sampling; multiemployer situations; and temporary workers.

OSHA's silica topics page includes additional information, fact sheets and links to resources and tools that employers can use to control exposure to silica dust.

Related Links
OSHA Revises National Emphasis Program on Silica
ASSP's Industrial Hygiene Practice Specialty Publishes Silica Resource Guide