November 11, 2013 at 05:36 PM
A national trade group representing silica sand producers is pushing for a comprehensive new crystalline silica rule under which OSHA would mandate a far-reaching set of exposure monitoring and medical surveillance requirements to prevent worker silicosis but not lower the permissible exposure limit (PEL) below 100 micrograms per cubic meter, as OSHA would under its newly proposed standards to confront the hazard.