Silica (29 CFR 1926.1153)

This module tracks respirable crystalline silica under 29 CFR 1926.1153. The rule gives an employer two compliance paths, and this module carries both:

Table 1 (the specified exposure control methods) — each silica-generating task has a specified engineering/work-practice control and, for some tasks, a required respirator. A task is compliant when the control is in place and any required respirator is provided.
The (d) alternative path — where Table 1 is not fully implemented for a task, the employer must instead assess exposure (by air monitoring or objective data) against the PEL and action level and control to at/below the PEL.

Plus the two program-wide obligations: the written exposure control plan (1926.1153(g)) and medical surveillance (1926.1153(h)).

Register a task

Go to Silica (Table 1) and use the Register a silica task row at the bottom.
Pick the site, name the task, and choose the equipment (e.g. handheld power saw, jackhammer) — the equipment list mirrors OSHA's Table 1 rows.
Choose the specified control (integrated water delivery, wet cutting, LEV/shroud+HEPA, enclosed cab, ventilated booth) and the respirator requirement (none, APF 10, or APF 25).
Click Register. The task joins the table.

Confirm controls

On each task, tick Control? when the specified control is in place, and tick the respirator box when a required respirator is provided.
A task with everything in place reads compliant (green row); a task missing something lists its gaps and flags red — "engineering control not in place" and/or "required respirator not provided".

Close gaps

On a deficient task, click CAPA to open a corrective action for the control gap. It raises a High-priority CAPA, and the row then links to it.

Alternative exposure assessment (1926.1153(d))

Use this where you do not fully implement a Table 1 control for a task — the rule then requires you to assess exposure and control to at/below the PEL (50 µg/m³ 8-hr TWA; action level 25 µg/m³).

Under Alternative exposure assessment, pick the site, name the exposure group (a similar- exposure group or job — e.g. "Tuckpointing crew"), an optional job title, and the method:
- Scheduled monitoring — you take air-monitoring samples on the result-driven cadence.
- Objective data — you characterize exposure from objective data instead of new monitoring. Click Open assessment.
Record a result inline on the row:
- Scheduled monitoring: enter the 8-hr TWA (µg/m³) and click Record. The status advances on the result — within 3 months if it's above the PEL, within 6 months if it's at/above the action level, and it can be discontinued after two consecutive below-action-level samples ≥7 days apart.
- Objective data: enter the figure and a short basis, then Record.
Notify — a fresh result opens the (d)(6) notification clock. Click Notify once affected employees have been told of the result; it's due within 5 working days.
Reassess — click when a change in process, controls, or personnel may increase exposure (1926.1153(d)(5)); it reopens monitoring due now.
Above the PEL — the row flags red and shows "respirators req." Provide respiratory protection (e) and click CAPA to open a High-priority corrective action for the engineering/work-practice controls (d)(3); the row then links to it.

Written exposure control plan (1926.1153(g))

Each site needs a written plan with a designated Competent person (1926.1153(g)(4)).

Under Written exposure control plan, pick the site and the Competent person, then click Create plan.
The plan tracks Last review and Next review — the review cadence is annual (1926.1153(g)(3)).
Click Mark reviewed to record a review; that resets the clock and pushes Next review out a year. An overdue plan review flags the row red and escalates to the named reviewer (or the Safety Team if none is set).

Medical surveillance (1926.1153(h))

Surveillance is required for a worker who wears a respirator for silica work ≥30 days/yr.

Under Medical surveillance, pick the site and worker, enter their Job title and Respirator days/yr, then click Enroll. Below 30 days/yr the row is tracked but marked (<30) — the 30-day threshold is what triggers the surveillance requirement.
Next exam due is 30 days after enrollment (the initial exam window), then every 3 years.
Click Record exam to log an exam and advance the next-due date.
Confirm silicosis is an optional action for a PLHCP-confirmed diagnosis. It records the determination and opens an OSHA 300-log respiratory-illness case (1904 column M(4)) once per worker via the cross-module raiser. It is never auto-derived — a physician makes the call.

What happens automatically

The dashboard counts silica tasks and how many are deficient, so control gaps surface without opening the page. Compliance is derived from the two checkboxes — there are no separate statuses.
A deficient task is an active overexposure and now escalates to the Safety Team ("Silica task deficient: {task}") with its gaps and specified control — it no longer lives only as a dashboard count. Set who's emailed for that queue under notification routing.
An overdue plan review escalates to the reviewer (1926.1153(g)(3)); an overdue medical exam escalates to the Safety Team (1926.1153(h)(3)).
On the (d) assessments: an above-PEL result escalates as an active overexposure (controls + respirators), a due periodic sample escalates ("exposure sample due"), and an overdue employee notification escalates (1926.1153(d)(6)). The dashboard also counts exposures above the PEL and samples due.
Export register (CSV) in the page header downloads the full Table 1 task register (api/silica/register.csv); Export (CSV) under the assessments table downloads the (d) assessments (api/silica/assessments.csv).

Tasks that require a respirator mean the workers involved belong in the respiratory protection program (medical clearance + annual fit test).
Exposure sampling against an OEL lives in industrial hygiene.
A confirmed-silicosis case opens a 300-log record — see incidents and the worker's health records.
Mines tracking respirable silica under 30 CFR Part 60 use the separate MSHA silica program instead.

Tip: pick the closest Table 1 equipment and control match so the record maps cleanly to the standard.