Respirable Crystalline Silica Training

Respirable crystalline silica is a very common and dangerous hazard that construction and demolition workers are unknowingly exposed to on a daily basis. It is estimated that around 2 million workers are exposed to this hazardous material every year, of those an estimated 840,000 of them are exposed to an amount of silica which exceeds the permissible exposure limit or in other words exceeds the amount that OSHA defines as safe.

Workers who perform a variety of construction activities including cutting, drilling, sawing, and crushing of rock, stone, brick and ceramic tiles are putting themselves at risk of contracting deadly diseases such as silicosis. The tools and training to protect these workers is widely available and inexpensive. If workers had the appropriate crystalline silica training and tools they would be able to implement safe work practices while working with crystalline silica, therefore saving lives by preventing disease.

Who Should Attend?

All construction and demolition workers who may come in contact with crystalline silica should receive proper respirable crystalline silica hazard awareness training.

OSHA Crystalline Silica Standard

As a result of the statistics that show the deadly repercussions of ignoring the hazardous properties of respirable crystalline silica, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has created a new crystalline silica osha standard which demands that employers take more steps to protect their workers health in the field. Among the other requirements listed below workers must receive proper silica hazard awareness training.

All Employers that fall under the OSHA crystalline silica standard must meet the following requirements:

• Establish and implement a written exposure control plan that identifies tasks that involve exposure and methods used to protect workers, including procedures to restrict access to work areas where high exposures may occur.
• Designate a competent person to implement the written exposure control plan.
• Restrict housekeeping practices that expose workers to silica where feasible alternatives are available.
• Offer medical exams—including chest X-rays and lung function tests—every three years for workers who are required by the standard to wear a respirator for 30 or more days per year.
• Train workers on work operations that result in silica exposure and ways to limit exposure.
• Keep records of workers’ silica exposure and medical exams.

For more information on the OSHA Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard please click here. 

CEUs 

0.2 

CEU Requirements

1. 100% attendance for Crystalline Silica Training Course
2. Completion of Continuing Education and Training Registration Form
3. Active participation in all class exercises (determined by the course instructor)
4. Completion of required pre-and post-quiz assessment
5. As applicable, achievement of minimum passing score on required end-of-course examination
6. Participation and submittal of end-of-course evaluation form (must provide name on form to receive credit)
   

Learning Objectives

1. Understand what respirable crystalline silica is
2. Understand respirable crystalline silica’s effects on the body
3. Identify methods of preventing exposure to crystalline silica
4. Apply proper use and maintenance of respiratory equipment
5. Describe the key points of OSHA’s respirable crystalline silica rule
6. Identify hazards relating to crystalline silica and how to protect yourself