CPWR can help you Work Safely with Silica

On March 25, after some two decades of work, OSHA has at last issued the much-anticipated silica standard, a standard that will save the lives of thousands of construction workers who cut concrete, grind mortar or perform dozens of other tasks that expose them to respirable silica dust. It will preserve the health of tens of thousands more whose work puts them at risk of silicosis, COPD and lung cancer.

In the days to come, countless construction contractors, workers and safety professionals will be looking for guidance on this hazard. CPWR can help. I invite you to consult Work Safely with Silica, our one-stop online resource with information and tools to help identify silica hazards, understand the health risk, and easily find equipment and methods to control the dust.

A central feature of the site is the Create-A-Plan tool. This e-tool allows you to develop a job-specific plan for controlling silica exposures in just three easy steps, and includes options for identifying a material's silica content, determining the level of exposure, and finding available controls. As you make selections and enter information, silica-safe generates a control plan tailored to your jobsite that you can save, print, email, and -- as an added benefit -- use as a toolbox talk on the job.

Work Safely with Silica is a snap to use, can make compliance with the new standard simpler, and can save lives. Visit the site today at www.silica-safe.org!

Pete Stafford
Executive Director
CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training, 8484 Georgia Ave. #1000, Silver Spring, MD 20910