The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) invite mining, public health and medical stakeholders to an inaugural meeting of the Respirable Mine Dust Partnership on February 5, 2020.
The Partnership will address exposures to a broad range of respirable hazards, including respirable crystalline silica (quartz).
Some of the goals for this partnership include:
- Reviewing existing literature and scientific studies regarding quartz exposure among miners;
- Providing recommendations addressing shortcomings in the data; and
- Identifying easily achievable recommendations that will have near-term benefits to reduce miners’ exposure to quartz and other respirable hazards.
This meeting will be held at the MSHA Headquarters : 201 12th St S Arlington, VA 22202-5452 – 7th Floor West Conference Rooms
Or
via WebEx or phone. Find details in the events section on MSHA’s website.
With the OSHA Silica Standard passed in 2018 and the new wave of black lung disease its no surprise MSHA is taking up this issue in 2020. Respirable dust poses a real risk to miners, dirt movers, concrete cutters among other workers. If MSHA were to follow OSHA’s lead, new requirements could include specific safety programs, required training, mandatory sampling and medical evaluations.
The risks are real but the solutions exist. With the proper work methods, training, and protective equipment we can keep our people safe.
We have already started to see the effect of the increased attention on this issue. Mine operators are looking more closely at themselves and their contractors to be sure we are all aware of risk and implementing the appropriate control strategies.
McCraren Compliance offers training on Silica. We can write the appropriate safety programs. When respirators are called for, we can support you with the right programs and training. We even provide respirator fit testing (qualitative).
Get ahead of the regulators and more importantly be sure you are keeping your people safe from this serious illness. Contact us to find out more.