CalOSHA Offers New Tentative Silica Regs
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The proposed rules for fabricating materials with crystalline-silica content in California got tighter last week … in both the wording and the time for public comment.
The regulations, offered by state workplace-safety agency CalOSHA to combat the ongoing silicosis epidemic among workers, tweaks a few definitions concerning the material in question. But there’s also one part that might affect any slab product used in the Golden State.
The amount of crystalline silica allowed in surfaces the state defines as artificial stone moved just a tick, References to material of 1% percent changed in several areas to “less than 1%.”
The new proposed regulations also go into detail on what’s exempted from the definition of artificial stone, including uncrushed or milled natural stone; ceramic and porcelain products; terrazzo; and sintered stone, concrete, or cement slabs containing no binders.
The major change, however, is in proposed recordkeeping, where fabrication businesses would need to have, for any product, a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for every SKU in stock and “a laboratory analysis for each SKU using X-ray Diffraction from a laboratory” accredited in accordance with state code.
That analysis, according to the proposed regulation, would need to be “provided by the importer, manufacturer, distributor, supplier, or other source.”
CalOSHA also provided a limited time for public input on the proposed changes. The agency posted the revised draft on Oct. 22 and called for all comments to be submitted by Oct. 30.
The proposed regulations would need to be presented to the state Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board for a final determination. The next meeting is set for Nov. 19 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Monterey, Calif., but no agenda has yet been published.
A previous public-comment call on the first draft of the regulations gave an additional week in September. That draft received 45 written comments, including submissions from California health agencies and groups, six fabrication shops, three union representatives, two legal firms involved in silicosis-victim cases, and two surface manufacturers (LX Hausys and Caesarstone).
Industry groups offering comments on the original draft included the International Surface Fabricators Association, Natural Stone Institute, and the Tile Council of North America.
View the draft standards here.
