OSHA Cites Contractor for Silica Violations

Since the effective date of the new rule, OSHA has issued 116 silica violations, however this violation is the largest to date and should get the attention of the construction industry due to the size of the fine.

This specific case involves a highway contractor that has been issued citations totaling 304,130 dollars.

• The first serious violation alleged that the employer did not ensure each employee was wearing proper PPE, including eye and face protection to protect from flying particles.
• The second was for failure to train their workers on the health effects of silica dust exposure.  Both of those penalties were over $8 thousand dollars each.

Each of the 3 willful violations were given penalties of $96,000 dollars.

• The first alleged that the company did not implement proper engineering controls, like the use of vacuums or wet methods, while using jackhammers.
• The second violation alleged the company did not perform an assessment of each employee who was exposed to silica dust.
• Finally, the third violation stated that adequate respiratory protection was not provided where required by Table 1.

All silica related regulations for the construction industry can be found in section 1926.1153.

If you’re needing assistance with ensuring that your company is in compliance with the new silica standard, don’t hesitate to contact us.

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Source URL:  https://www.constructionjunkie.com/blog/2018/9/6/virginia-osha-cites-contractor-for-304k-for-silica-dust-violations-possibly-largest-in-rule-history