On April 18, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) issued its final rule reducing exposure levels to respirable crystalline silica for all mines in the U.S. and is applicable to the contractors who work in these mines. MSHA jurisdiction is broad and includes construction work, and its rule is vastly different from the OSHA counterpart. While the same 50 ug/m3 PEL is adopted, there is no Table 1 to rely upon, no worker rotation, and compliance with the OSHA rule is not a defense to an MSHA citation of up to $324,000.

With almost every state authorizing the recreational and/or medical use of marijuana or cannabidiol (CBD), employers nationwide face a maze of legal changes.

Join us on June 5, 1PM – 2PM EST for the next virtual quarterly town hall. The purpose of these meetings is to communicate key safety and health issues and challenges, as well as discuss enforcement, regulatory, and outreach activities at the national and local levels.

On April 18, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) issued its final rule to better protect miners against occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica. The final rule will not only cover contractors who operate surface mines, but also any contractor who performs construction or maintenance activities at a mine site. After the publication of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) final rule addressing exposure to crystalline silica, many surface mine operators established programs that incorporated the OSHA requirements.