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- Title
Elevated exposures to respirable crystalline silica among engineered stone fabrication workers in California, January 2019–February 2020.
- Authors
Surasi, Krishna; Ballen, Brittany; Weinberg, Justine L.; Materna, Barbara L.; Harrison, Robert; Cummings, Kristin J.; Heinzerling, Amy
- Abstract
Background: Workers fabricating engineered stone face high risk for exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and subsequent development of silicosis. In response, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) performed targeted enforcement inspections at engineered stone fabrication worksites. We investigated RCS exposures and employer adherence to Cal/OSHA's RCS and respiratory protection standards from these inspections to assess ongoing risk to stone fabrication workers. Methods: We extracted employee personal air sampling results from Cal/OSHA inspection files and calculated RCS exposures. Standards require that employers continue monitoring employee RCS exposures and perform medical surveillance when exposures are at or above the action level (AL; 25 μg/m3); exposures above the permissible exposure limit (PEL; 50 μg/m3) are prohibited. We obtained RCS and respiratory protection standard violation citations from a federal database. Results: We analyzed RCS exposures for 152 employees at 47 workplaces. Thirty‐eight (25%) employees had exposures above the PEL (median = 89.7 μg/m3; range = 50.7–670.7 μg/m3); 17 (11%) had exposures between the AL and PEL. Twenty‐four (51%) workplaces had ≥1 exposure above the PEL; 7 (15%) had ≥1 exposure between the AL and PEL. Thirty‐four (72%) workplaces were cited for ≥1 RCS standard violation. Twenty‐seven (57%) workplaces were cited for ≥1 respiratory protection standard violation. Conclusions: Our investigation demonstrates widespread RCS overexposure among workers and numerous employer Cal/OSHA standard violation citations. More enforcement and educational efforts could improve employer compliance with Cal/OSHA standards and inform employers and employees of the risks for RCS exposure and strategies for reducing exposure.
- Subjects
CALIFORNIA; SILICA; AIR sampling; INDUSTRIAL hygiene; EMPLOYEE surveillance; INDUSTRIAL relations; SICK leave
- Publication
American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 2022, Vol 65, Issue 9, p701
- ISSN
0271-3586
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/ajim.23416