To read the notice in the Federal Register, visit www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/
owadisp.show_document?p_table=
FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=21986.
Read OSHA’s safety and health topics
at www.osha.gov/SLTC/silicacrystalline/
index.html for more information on
crystalline silica. Permissible exposure
limit information for crystalline silica is
available from www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/
npgd0684.html.
ABIH Seeks Nominations for
Director Positions
The American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH) is scheduled to elect three
new directors at its Oct. 22–23 meeting.
These directors will take office at the
conclusion of the March 2012 Board
meeting. The term of office is four years.
Directors attend three Board meetings
per year, which are usually held on a
weekend to avoid conflicts with work.
Expenses related to Board travel are covered by ABIH.
If you would like to be considered for
a director position, please contact ABIH
or go to www.abih.org/members/
directornomprocess.html for information
about the nomination process.
The deadline for submissions is July 1.
Questions about the election process can
be directed to ABIH Executive Director
Lynn C. O’Donnell, CIH, at lodonnell
@ abih.org or (517) 321-2638 ext. 16.
been exposed to crystalline silica in recent years. Those exposed commonly
work in foundries, industries with abrasive blasting operations, paint and glass
and concrete product manufacturing facilities, brick making, china and pottery
production facilities, and many construction operations. High-level exposure
to crystalline silica can cause silicosis,
which can be fatal.
[Continued: 26]
OSHA Aims to Lower Crystalline
Silica PELs
In February, OSHA issued the Occupa-
tional Exposure to Crystalline Silica pro-
posed rule. The rule intends to lower the
Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for
crystalline silica for the general industry,
construction and maritime industries.
The current OSHA PEL (8-hour TWA) for
crystalline silica as respirable quartz is
10 mg/m3 divided by the value “%SiO2 +
2.” The OSHA PEL (8-hour TWA) for
crystalline silica
as total quartz is
30 mg/m3 di-
vided by the
value “%SiO2 +
2.” NIOSH’s rec-
ommended expo-
sure limit is
lower at TWA
0.05 mg/m3.
According to
OSHA and
NIOSH, 1.7 to 2
million workers
