Pit & Quarry, August 2018
Now that OSHA produced a new standard for respirable crystalline silica exposure producers will wait to see what regulation if any comes down from MSHA are balancing two health and safety regulations as OSHA and MSHA have different standards Be PRoAcTIve Mine operators are already required to provide training on potential silica hazards as part of MSHAs mandated hazard communication training But those who operate a pit or quarry would be wise to familiarize themselves with OSHAs standard so they are best prepared when an applicable rule arrives says Adele Abrams an attorney whose practice is focused on occupational and mine safety and health MSHA is going to be forced to put this silica rule on the front burner again Adele ABRAms The mining operators are going to need to get on the ball here Abrams says As Abrams points out the lungs of employees at ready mix concrete plants which are covered by OSHA under general industry have the same makeup as those who work at MSHA regulated aggregate operations Consider the vertically integrated operation with a ready mix plant and a quarry Abrams says She argues that it is unethical to provide the safety training and benefits in relation to silica to ready mix employees because they are regulated under OSHA and yet continue to expose employees at aggregate operations to certain silica thresholds because the MSHA standard allows it Under the OSHA standard construction employers are required to establish and implement a written exposure control plan that identifies tasks involving exposure and methods used to protect workers including procedures to restrict access to work areas where high exposures may occur These employers are also expected to designate a specific employee to implement the written exposure control plan In addition employers are required to offer medical exams These are mandated every three years for workers who are required by the standard to wear a respirator for 30 or more days per year in construction or for workers foreseeably exposed above the action level for 30 or more days annually There are way too many operators in the aggregate industry that look to MSHA as being their industrial hygiene department and they count on the fact MSHA samples can be attacked because they are not certified industrial hygienists Abrams says A lot of times they CRUSHING www kpijci com pitandquarry com August 2018 PIT QUARRY 29
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