Page 84: of Marine News Magazine (November 2018)

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COLUMN SAFETY

Maritime Industry Faces Compliance Standard from OSHA on Respirable Crystalline Silica

Companies with workers repairing and refurbishing ship components utilizing sand blasting have become the subject of a new U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard.

By Thomas H. Davis, Jr.

All employers and employees in the crystalline silica standard has been adopted to cover all em- maritime industry need to be aware of the ployers in the maritime and general industries.

new requirements as OSHA continues In addition to federal OSHA, there are currently 28 efforts to protect workers from the haz- OSHA-approved state plans. States are allowed to imple- ards of exposure to breathable silica dust. ment their own, statewide occupational safety and health

The new application of the “Respirable programs pursuant to written agreements with the U.S.

Crystalline Silica” standards requires all Department of Labor. State Plans are required to have covered maritime and general industry standards and enforcement programs that are as least as employers to assess existing exposures. effective as OSHA’s, although they may have different or

Davis

Maritime and general industry em- more stringent requirements. ployers now covered by respirable crys- Crystalline silica is a common mineral found in such talline silica standards should immediately conduct a re- materials as sand, stone, concrete, brick, and mortar. Cer- view of their written safety program(s). These programs, tain common industrial or construction activities, such as and accompanying employee training, should be updated using saws, drills, or grinders, can release silica dust into as necessary to meet the requirements of the silica standard. the air. In the maritime industry, the principal source of

Employers must determine if any employee exposed to crystalline silica is the use of sand for abrasive blasting. silica dust might be at or above a de