37 AUGUST 2024 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Final Rule Reducing Silica Dust Exposure Adapted from Information by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) The U.S. Department of Labor announced (MSHA) issued a final rule to better protect the nation’s miners from health hazards associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica also known as silica dust or quartz dust. Inhalation of respirable crystalline silica, can cause serious lung and other diseases, such as silicosis, lung cancer, progressive massive fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, and kidney disease. Exposure can lead to the development of black lung disease and progressive massive fibrosis. These diseases are irreversible and can be fatal, but they are also preventable. The final rule lowers the permissible exposure limit of respirable crystalline silica. If a miner’s exposure exceeds the limit, it requires mine operators to take immediate corrective actions to come into compliance. In addition to reducing exposure limits, the final rule does the following: j Requires mine operators to use engineering controls to prevent miners’ overexposures to silica dust and use dust samplings and environmental evaluations to monitor exposures. j Compels mine operators to establish medical surveillance programs to provide periodic health examinations at no cost to miners. The exams are similar to programs available to coal miners under existing standards. j Replaces an outdated standard for respiratory protection with a new standard reflecting the latest advances in respiratory protection and practices. This update will better protect miners against airborne hazards, including silica dust, diesel particulate matter, asbestos, and other contaminants. “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,” said Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson. “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. No miner should ever have to sacrifice their health or lungs to provide for their family.” MSHA’s final rule will significantly improve the health and safety of U.S. miners. MIN
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDk4Mzk=