U.S. metalcasters should be aware that the medical surveillance requirements for OSHA’s silica rule change on June 23, 2020.
Since June of 2018, metalcasters and all of general industry have been required to offer medical surveillance to employees who work for more than 30 days per year in a job where the RCS exposure is above the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air as an 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) or [50 μg/m3 as a TWA].
Beginning June 23, 2020 medical surveillance must also be offered to employees who work in jobs for more than 30 days per year where the RCS exposure is at or above the Action Level of 25 μg/m3 as a TWA. If an employee declines participation in the medical surveillance program, this should be documented.
Further information on the Standard's medical surveillance requirements can be found in Appendix B of the RCS Standard or in OSHA's "Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard for General Industry and Maritime." Both can be found here.