Several NIOSH researchers posted a blog about crystalline silica exposure hazards in hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"), a method of extracting oil and gas from shale that uses large amounts of dust-generating sand. To investigate potential hazards, the agency initiated the NIOSH Field Effort to Assess Chemical Exposures in Oil and Gas Extraction Workers. Initial hazard assessments identified exposure to crystalline silica during hydraulic fracturing as the most significant known health hazard to workers, NIOSH says.
