On a daily basis, construction and demolition workers are unknowingly exposed to respirable crystalline silica, which is a very common potential health hazard on job sites. An estimated 2 million workers are exposed to this dangerous material yearly. Of those, an estimated 840,000 of them are exposed to an amount of silica that exceeds the amount that OSHA defines as a permissible exposure limit.

Workers put themselves at risk of contracting deadly diseases such as silicosis when performing a variety of construction activities such as cutting, drilling, sawing, and crushing rock, stone, brick, and ceramic tiles. If workers are appropriately trained in regard to crystalline silica, they would be able to implement safe work practices and therefore save lives by preventing disease due to the fact that the tools and training to protect workers are widely available and inexpensive.

Who Should Attend?

All construction and demolition workers should receive proper respirable crystalline silica hazard awareness training if they come in contact with crystalline silica.

OSHA Crystalline Silica Standard

As a result of the deadly repercussions of disregarding the dangerous aspects of respirable crystalline silica, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has created a new crystalline silica standard. This new OSHA standard requires that employers take more steps to protect their workers’ health in the field. In addition to the requirements listed below, workers must also receive proper silica hazard awareness training.

The OSHA crystalline silica standard requires that all employers meet the following conditions:

• Establishment and implementation of a written exposure control plan identifying tasks that involve exposure, as well as methods used to protect workers, including measures to limit access to work areas where high exposures may occur.
• Designation of a competent person to oversee the implementation of the written exposure control plan.
• Limit housekeeping practices that may expose workers to silica if feasible substitutes are available.
• Offer medical exams—including chest X-rays and lung function tests—every three years for workers who are required by the standard to wear a respirator for 30 or more days per year.
• Provide workers with training in operations that result in silica exposure and ways to mitigate that exposure.
• Retain records of workers’ silica exposure and medical exams.

Additional information on the OSHA Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard can be found here. 

CEUs 

0.2 

CEU Requirements

1. 100% attendance for Crystalline Silica Training Course
2. Completion of Continuing Education and Training Registration Form
3. Actively participating in all class exercises (determined by course instructor)
4. Completion of required pre and post-quiz assessment
5. Achievement of a minimum passing score on the required end-of-course examination, as applicable
6. Completion and submittal of end-of-course evaluation form (name must be provided on form to receive credit)

Learning Objectives

1. Understand what respirable crystalline silica is
2. Understand the effects of respirable crystalline silica on the body
3. Describe methods of preventing exposure to crystalline silica
4. Demonstrate appropriate use and maintenance of respiratory equipment
5. Explain the main details of OSHA’s respirable crystalline silica rule
6. Identify hazards relating to crystalline silica and methods to protect yourself