|
|
| Safety & Health News |
|
|
| An Update on MSHA and Silica |
|
On August 29, 2019, the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA), published a Request for Information in the Federal Register regarding respirable silica. Comments are due October 28, 2019. This is likely the first step in moving forward with a revised silica regulation. There have been recent media reports regarding a rise in black lung disease in coal miners in Appalachia, suggesting this may in part be related to elevated silica exposures. Additionally, NIOSH is reviewing miners’ health information going back several decades. And in late 2018, NIOSH has unveiled a beta version of an online software tool designed to provide post-shift assessments of mine worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica.
In the notice, MSHA outlines:
- the background for the existing limit,
- discusses existing controls including the history surrounding respiratory protection,
- relevant hierarchy of controls for mining (engineering, administrative and personal protective equipment in that order), and
- the basis of their information request.
With respect to the information request, MSHA is requesting:
- information on new or developing technologies and best practices that can be used to protect miners from exposure to quartz dust,
- information on how the controls can be used, individually and together, to protect miners,
- info on additional feasible dust control methods to reduce miners’ exposure during high silica cutting situations, and
- any other information to evaluate miners’ exposures to quartz.
We will be coordinating with NSSGA and NMA on this issue, but if you have any input or comments, don’t hesitate to contact Josie Gaskey.
|
|
|
|
|
|
