Protecting Workers in Puerto Rico from Respirable Crystalline Silica and OSHA’s New Initiative

Earlier this fall, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had launched a new initiative focused on enhancing enforcement and providing compliance assistance to protect workers involved with engineered stone fabrication and installation.

According to the announcement:
Supplementing OSHA’s current National Emphasis Program for Respirable Crystalline Silica, this initiative will focus enforcement efforts on industry employers to make sure they’re following required safety standards and providing workers with the protections required to keep them healthy.

Industries subject to the prioritized programmed inspections include those engaged in Cut Stone and Stone Product Manufacturing as well as Brick, Stone and Related Construction Material Merchant Wholesalers. It’s important that all businesses and institutions that have workers that could be exposed to respirable crystalline silica adhere to OSHA requirements to safeguard their employees and avoid costly fines.

“Exposure to respirable crystalline silica can cause silicosis, a progressive, disabling and often fatal lung disease,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “It is also associated with an increased risk for lung infections, lung cancer, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), autoimmune diseases and kidney disease. At Zimmetry, our industrial hygiene professionals offer occupational exposure testing and air monitoring for crystalline silica, along with a wide range of other respirable hazards. Our team also provides employee training and worksite assessments that involve evaluating engineering controls and personal protective equipment to mitigate these types of exposure hazards.”

To learn more about Zimmetry and their industrial hygiene, air quality, environmental, compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .

About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail