Construction industry groups ask OSHA to withdraw proposed silica rule

The Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CSIC), a coalition representing associations in the construction industry, has requested the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) withdraw its proposed rule to drastically lower the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of crystalline silica for the demolition and construction industry. The request was made Feb. 18, 2014.

The National Demolition Association (NDA) and the Construction & Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA) are part of the coalition.

“From the point of view of the demolition industry, OSHA’s proposed crystalline silica rule is unworkable,” says Michael Taylor, NDA executive director. “We do not feel that OSHA has demonstrated that the proposed PEL can be met by demolition industry stakeholders involved in most of the operations we undertake.”

Not only has OSHA not adequately shown that the proposal is technologically and economically feasible, but it has drastically under estimated the cost of the proposed rule, which has been estimated to cost the demolition and const ruction industry at the very least $2.2 billion per year to implement,” Taylor continues. “The NDA, along with its fellow member organization s which make up the CSIC, welcome the chance to productively collaborate with OSHA on the standard to find the most common sense way to continue the trend of reducing crystalline silica exposure on demolition and construction jobsites,”

The CISC is made up of 25 trade associations. The coalition represents associations from all sectors of the construction and demolition industry, including commercial building, heavy industrial production, home building, road repair, specialty trade contractors and material suppliers. Workplace safety and health is a priority for all members of the coalition, and each is committed to helping create safer construction jobsites for workers.