Managing Silica Hazards

“Safety first” is a common slogan throughout the construction industry, with less attention paid to health issues. This workshop is an opportunity to identify how silica can affect worker health and provide template-models and guidance for a control program. It’s common for different employers to work in close proximity. The controlling employer (controlling contractor) exerts the most influence and has the ability to set a general tone for work and create general conditions that guard again “fugitive dust” including silica. This training will address employer responsibilities pertaining to silica for worker safety and health.

Learning Objectives

Upon completing of this training, participants should be better able to:

• Design an effective awareness-level respirable silica training program to help workers identify the source, pathology and the hazardous nature of crystalline silica.
• Develop written exposure control plans for respirable crystalline silica.
• Identify controlling employer (controlling contractor) responsibilities for developing site-wide “fugitive” respirable crystalline dust program for multi-employer worksites to control cross-employer exposures.

Topics Covered

1. What is silica?
   – Science behind the pathology and the harm it can cause.
2. Where is it?
   History of occupational illnesses related to silica exposure Controls.
3. Responsibilities of employers related to silica hazards.
   Table I: Exposure control methods when working with crystalline silica.
4. Customizing silica control plan template.
5. Employer responsibilities and worker rights for silica exposed employees.

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