The Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) issued a final rule on respirable crystalline silica exposure, lowering the permissible exposure limit to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air for a full-shift exposure.
MSHA calculates a full-shift exposure as an eight-hour time-weighted average. If a miner’s exposure exceeds the limit, MSHA’s final rule requires mine operators to take immediate corrective actions to come into compliance.
“It is unconscionable that our nation’s miners have worked without adequate protection from silica dust despite it being a known health hazard for decades,” says Julie Su, acting U.S. labor secretary. “Today, the Department of Labor has taken an important action to finally reduce miners’ exposure to toxic silica dust and protect them from suffering from preventable diseases. Mining communities across the country should know that the Biden-Harris administration is determined to do what must be done to ensure that miners come home safe and healthy at the end of every day.”
In addition to reducing exposure limits, MSHA says its final crystalline silica rule requires mine operators to use engineering controls to prevent miners’ overexposures to silica dust, as well as use dust samplings and environmental evaluations to monitor exposures.
According to MSHA, the final rule compels metal and nonmetal mine operators to establish medical surveillance programs to provide periodic health examinations at no cost to miners. The exams are similar to the medical surveillance programs available to coal miners under existing standards, the agency says.
“This rule reducing miners’ exposures to toxic silica dust has been a long time in the making, and the nation’s miners deserve its health protections,” says Chris Williamson, assistant secretary of MSHA. “Congress gave MSHA the authority to regulate toxic substances to protect miners from health hazards and made clear in the Mine Act that miners’ health and safety must always be our first priority and concern.
“To further advance this directive, MSHA is committed to working together with everyone in the mining community to implement this rule successfully,” Williamson adds. “No miner should ever have to sacrifice their health or lungs to provide for their family.”
As MSHA describes, respirable crystalline silica is a carcinogen. Inhalation can cause serious lung and other diseases, such as silicosis, lung cancer, progressive massive fibrosis, chronic bronchitis and kidney disease.
By MSHA’s estimation, its final respirable crystalline silica rule will result in an estimated total of 1,067 lifetime avoided deaths and 3,746 lifetime avoided cases of silica-related illnesses.
Related: When to notify MSHA of an injury
Featured photo: P&Q Staff
