OSHA has issued a final rule to limit workers’ exposure to respirable crystalline silica (March 2016, OSHA Respirable Crystalline Silica in Construction Regulation – 29 CFR 1926.1153), a common construction material (e.g., concrete, brick, mortar, granite, sand).

Scientists have long known that prolonged, excessive exposure to respirable-size particles of crystalline silica, created when workers chip, cut, drill or grind objects containing it, can increase health risks, such as the risk of developing silicosis or other ailments. The effects of crystalline exposure are typically long-term.