OSHA silica hearings to begin next week

Washington – Three weeks of informal hearings regarding OSHA’s proposed crystalline silica rulemaking are set to kick off on March 18.

The hearings will run every weekday through April 4, and will feature comments from experts and stakeholders from a variety of industries, according to OSHA’s hearing schedule.

OSHA is proposing to reduce the current permissible exposure limit for silica by half, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from many industry stakeholders.

Exposure to silica dust has been linked to several deadly diseases, including cancer.