OSHA to Target Road Construction Operations for Silica Dust Compliance

In early February 2020, OSHA revised its National Emphasis Program to identify and reduce or eliminate worker exposures to respirable crystalline silica. The program targets specific industries expected to have the highest exposures to silica dust.

The revision includes highway street and bridge construction among OSHA’s list of target industries. The full list of target industries is listed in Table 2 of this document.

The NEP calls for area OSHA offices to “develop establishment lists for these industries” using their OSHA Construction Inspection Targeting Application (C-target), compliance safety and health officers’ observations of area construction sites, and local knowledge. Local knowledge can include lists of highway, road, and bridge projects from the local department of transportation. According to OSHA, a number of construction activities may involve exposure to silica dust, including many milling and crushing activities.

Asphalt plant operations will not be targeted by the program, unless local knowledge or data suggests a lack of compliance.

AsphaltPro recommends reviewing your company’s silica compliance policies. Here are a few articles to help with those efforts:

Solve Dust at the Plant

How to Dispose of Silica Dust

Put Plans in Place to Protect Workers from Silica Dust at the Plant