Safety Services Company
Respirable crystalline silica, commonly known as silica dust, is produced when material containing crystalline silica such as concrete, stone, sand, brick and mortar is crushed, sawed or ground, creating tiny particles that become airborne.Workers exposed to this hazardous dust have an increased risk of developing silica-related diseases. The most common is silicosis, an incurable lung disease caused when silica dust enters the lungs and forms scar tissue making it difficult to take in oxygen.OSHA has established seperate standards for construction (§1926.1153) and general industry (§1910.1053) to protect workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica.