Silica Exposure: Prevention and Response

Course Overview

An estimated 2.3 million workers across the United States are exposed to respirable crystalline silica dust, a substance that can cause silicosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney disease. OSHA's silica standards - enacted in 2016 - set a permissible exposure limit of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air as an 8-hour TWA, significantly lower than the previous limit. As of January 2025, OSHA penalties for silica violations can reach $16,550 per serious violation and $165,514 per willful or repeated violation, with instance-by-instance citations meaning each affected worker can constitute a separate penalty.

This course prepares your employees to identify tasks that generate respirable silica dust - including cutting concrete, grinding masonry, drilling rock, and abrasive blasting - and understand the engineering controls, work practices, and respiratory protection required to keep exposure below the PEL. The training covers OSHA's Table 1 specified control methods for construction, exposure assessment requirements, medical surveillance provisions, and the competent person designation required on construction jobsites where silica is present.

What You'll Learn

• Health effects of respirable crystalline silica including silicosis, lung cancer, COPD, and kidney disease
• Common workplace tasks and materials that generate respirable silica dust
• OSHA permissible exposure limit (50 micrograms/m3) and action level (25 micrograms/m3)
• Table 1 specified exposure control methods for construction tasks under 29 CFR 1926.1153
• Alternative exposure control methods and exposure assessment requirements
• Respiratory protection selection and use for silica-generating tasks
• Medical surveillance requirements including chest X-rays and pulmonary function testing
• Competent person designation and responsibilities on construction jobsites

Who Needs This Training

• Construction workers who cut, grind, drill, or chip concrete, masonry, and stone
• Countertop fabrication and installation workers exposed to engineered stone dust
• Foundry workers involved in casting, grinding, and finishing operations
• Mining and quarry workers drilling, blasting, or processing silica-containing rock
• Abrasive blasting operators and support personnel
• Supervisors and competent persons designated under the construction silica standard

Regulatory Background