Respirable Crystalline Silica Program
OSHA standards require that employers establish and implement a written exposure control plan when employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica (“RCS”) is at or above 25 micrograms per cubic meter of air (25 μg/m3) as an 8-hour time-weighted average (“action level”) under any foreseeable conditions. It is not reasonably anticipated that UNI employees will be exposed to RCS at this action level without the use of controls as:
- UNI employees generally perform RCS generating tasks for very short periods of time, in isolation from activities that generate significant exposure to silica.
- UNI employees will not undertake tasks that collectively result in a longer duration of exposure.
- In multi-employer worksites, UNI employees will remove themselves from a worksite where they can be exposed to RCS at or above the action level.
In order to ensure that UNI employees work in a safe and healthy environment this written exposure control plan has been adopted so as to allow employees to identify the hazards associated with RCS and to prevent an employee’s exposure to RCS at or above the action level outlined by OSHA.
Tasks Generating RCS
Crystalline silica occurs naturally and is a basic component of sand, concrete, brick, asphalt, granite, and some blasting and wall spackling materials. Employees can be exposed to RCS when around activities such as:
- Abrasive blasting
- Jack hammering
- Concrete crushing
- Rock drilling
- Mixing of concrete or grout
- Concrete drilling
- Chipping or scarifying concrete
- Using or removing coating containing silica
- Housekeeping, such as use of compressed air without a ventilation system to capture the dust and dry sweeping
- More activities found in 1926.1153(c)(1) - Table 1
Work Practices
UNI employees will not perform tasks with a foreseeable exposure to RCS at or above the action level and will not undertake tasks that collectively result in a longer duration of exposure.
In the highly unlikely event that an employee must perform such a task, the university will follow OSHA standard 1926.1153 to manage such a situation, including prior to the start of work conducting an exposure assessment, developing a written control plan, implementing the appropriate controls, and providing training to the employee.
If RCS generating tasks are being performed in a multi-employer construction area, and another employer’s controls are inadequate, UNI employees shall immediately remove themselves from the worksite and contact their supervisor and Environmental Health and Safety. Environmental Health and Safety will notify the Lead Facilities Management Employee.
The Lead Facilities Management Employee will promptly address any RCS issue with the other employer(s) and may limit UNI employee access to the area under UNI’s Construction Area Access Program.
Employee Information & Training
UNI will train employees accessing construction areas where RCS generating tasks are occurring on the following information:
- Health hazards associated with exposure to RCS.
- Measures that other employers in a multi-employer worksite should undertake to protect employees from RCS.
- If RCS generating tasks are being performed in a multi-employer worksite, and another employer’s controls are inadequate, UNI employees must immediately remove themselves from the worksite and contact their supervisor and Environmental Health and Safety.
- The importance of following UNI’s Construction Area Access Program, Hazard Communication Program, and Respiratory Protection Program as it relates to RCS.
Related Programs
This program compliments and does not replace the following safety programs.
Construction Area Access Program
- Adherence to UNI’s Construction Area Access Program is critical in protecting employees from RCS.
Hazard Communication
- As outlined in UNI’s Hazard Communication Program, departments are responsible to provide education and training to all employees who may be or potentially may be exposed to hazardous chemicals or materials in their work area, including RCS.
Respiratory Protection
- The purpose of the Respiratory Protection Program is to establish procedures for wearing respiratory protection, including as it relates to RCS.