Beginning on September 23, 2017 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) implemented the new permissible exposure level (PEL) for workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica to be 50 micrograms per cubic meter over an average 8-hour period. Please note that this new exposure limit is expressed in MICROgrams (millionths of a gram). Without exaggeration, if this silica dust is visible in a field operation, this new PEL could be exceeded! Municipalities and construction contractors will be particularly impacted by this new regulation because of the variety of tools that are routinely used on concrete pavement, sidewalk and curbing, asphalt pavement and any number of other concrete related products in their day-to-day work activities. Jack hammers, rotary hammers, along with any number of different types of concrete saws, chippers and grinders are of particular concern. Fortunately, the new OSHA regulations do allow for special exceptions on a limited number of these tools. Moreover, OSHA regulations require that respirator use (worn by workers) can only be selected and utilized as the last resort in achieving compliance. NC LTAP has a seven-hour program available for in-house delivery to help large and small organizations plan for, implement and comply with this new, much stricter workplace standard.