On April 18, 2024, the US Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) finalized a rule amending safety standards concerning respirable crystalline silica. These amendments are set to become effective on June 17, 2024. Further details can be found on MSHA’s website. The regulation imposes stringent new mandates on mine operators, including a lower Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 50 µg/m³, mandatory sampling, regular written assessments of operations (even when there are no changes to processes, equipment, or minerals mined), implementation of respiratory protection programs, and establishment of tailored medical surveillance programs for Metal/Nonmetal mines.
