Information for Employers

Employers, you can prevent workers from getting the serious and fatal disease silicosis.

If you have employees that cut or clean man-made artificial stone, you must take steps to protect them from silicosis.

The law requires that you ensure:

Safe Work Practices

Ensure the following safe work practices are used by workers:

  • Use water delivery systems without exception.

  • Properly handle all waste materials.

  • Ensure that employees do not:

    • Do not use compressed air.

    • Do not dry sweep.

    • Do not move through or move equipment through dry dust or debris.

    • Do not rotate to reduce exposures.

Respiratory Protection

Ensure workers are provided with proper respiratory protection and trained on the use of the equipment.

    • Ensure workers receive a proper fit test and medical evaluation to use respiratory protection.

    • Use a full face, tight-fitting powered-air purifying respirator (PAPR) approved by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health or another respirator providing equal or greater protection.

    • Use a loose fitting Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR), half face tight fitting PAPR, full face non-powered air-purifying respirator, or equally protective alternative if the employer has proven that airborne exposures are always below the action level.

    • Use a supplied air respirator under certain conditions.

Safe Cleaning

  • Use safe clean-up methods that do not create airborne dust without exception.

Training and Communication

  • Provide training and information in a language all employees understand.

  • Post signs in English and Spanish that respirable crystalline silica causes permanent lung damage and death at entrances to regulated areas.

  • Train employees on symptoms of respirable crystalline silica exposure and how to prevent exposures.

  • Encourage reporting of symptoms of respirable crystalline silica exposure without fear of retaliation. That means it is illegal for an employer to reduce hours or fire a worker for reporting safety concerns at work.

Exposure Assessment

  • Conduct exposure monitoring at least every 12 months to assess the effectiveness of exposure controls.

Regulated Areas

  • Employers must ensure workers conduct all “high-exposure trigger tasks” in a clearly designated area with signs warning of respirable crystalline silica hazards.

Imminent Hazards

  • Cal/OSHA will stop work at a workplace by issuing an Order Prohibiting Use (OPU) when dry operations are observed.

  • Cal/OSHA may issue an OPU when violations are found related to prohibited activities, respiratory protection, reporting of silicosis and carcinogen reporting.

  • Keep in mind that all workers have the right to file a confidential complaint with Cal/OSHA about workplace safety and health hazards in California.

Silicosis Reporting

  • Employers must report employees with confirmed silicosis or lung cancer to Cal/OSHA and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

  • Healthcare providers contracted by employers to evaluate their employees must report confirmed silicosis cases to Cal/OSHA.