OSHA • NIOSH
	

Worker Exposure to Silica during 

Countertop Manufacturing, Finishing and Installation 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have identified exposure to silica as a health hazard 

to workers involved in manufacturing, finishing and installing natural and manufactured stone 

countertop products, both in fabrication shops and during in-home finishing/installation. This 

hazard can be mitigated with simple and effective dust controls in most countertop operations. 

Introduction 

Workers involved in manufacturing, finishing, and 

installing natural and manufactured stone countertops 

are at risk for significant crystalline silica exposure. 

Crystalline silica commonly occurs in nature as the 

mineral quartz, and is found in granite, sandstone, 

quartzite, various other rocks, and sand. Workers who 

inhale very small crystalline silica particles are at risk 

for silicosis – an incurable, progressively disabling 

and sometimes fatal lung disease. 

Silicosis results in permanent lung damage. Silica 

dust particles become trapped in lung tissue, causing 

inflammation and scarring and reducing the lungs’ 

ability to take in oxygen. Symptoms of silicosis can 

include shortness of breath, cough and fatigue, and 

may or may not be obviously attributable to silica. 

Workers exposed to airborne crystalline silica also are 

at increased risk for lung cancer, chronic obstructive 

pulmonary disease (COPD), and kidney disease. 

OSHA and NIOSH investigated U.S. worker exposure 

to respirable crystalline silica in the stone countertop 

industry following reports from other countries of 

stone countertop workers developing silicosis.1, 2 In at 

least some cases from Spain and Israel, workers were 

exposed in shops operating without dust suppression, 

and without respiratory protection.2, 3 While the stone 

industry in the United States has worked to implement 

dust controls to protect workers against the dangers 

Courtesy David L. Johnson & Margaret Phillips,University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center 

Cutting stone, as pictured, generates dangerous 

crystalline silica dust that can become trapped 

in lung tissue and cause silicosis. 

of silica exposure,4

 studies and OSHA inspections 

indicate that exposure levels may not be adequately 

controlled in some stone countertop fabrication 

worksites in the U.S.5 

This Hazard Alert focuses on countertop industry 

worker exposures to airborne silica dust, including 

from quartz in stone. It covers the health effects of 

breathing silica dust, recommends ways to protect 

workers, and describes how OSHA and NIOSH 

can help employers effectively reduce silica dust 

exposures. Employers must ensure that workers are 

properly protected from exposure to silica. 

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The Stone Countertop Industry 

Stone industry workers in shops and on job sites 

throughout the United States saw, grind, polish, and 

drill slabs of natural (mostly granite) and manufactured 

(man-made, engineered, or cultured) stone as part of 

manufacturing, finishing, and installing countertops. 

Whether working with natural or manufactured stone, 

producing finished countertops involves similar tasks. 

Working with natural stone, however, involves different 

initial steps than working with manufactured stone. 

Granite and other natural stones are quarried and cut 

into large stone slabs where exposure to crystalline 

silica dust is likely. These slabs are further cut to 

countertop sizes at the quarries or at stone finishing 

shops. Manufactured stone countertop production— 

actually making the engineered or cultured slabs— 

involves mixing crystalline silica, resins, and pigments. 

Workers in the natural cut stone industry as well as 

those involved in finishing and installing both natural 

and manufactured stone are at risk of significant silica 

exposure. In both industries, production operators 

(such as sawyers), inspectors (including quality control 

technicians), and staff who perform maintenance and 

housekeeping activities in manufacturing facilities also 

may be exposed to hazardous levels of airborne silicacontaining dust. 

Why is silica a concern for

workers in stone countertop

manufacturing, finishing and

installation? 

Stone countertops contain high amounts of 

the natural mineral silica. 

Finished natural and manufactured stone products, 

including finished countertops, do not present a 

health hazard themselves. However, cutting, grinding, 

chipping, sanding, drilling, and polishing natural and 

manufactured stone products can release hazardous 

levels of very small, crystalline silica dust particles 

into the air that workers breathe. Working with ground 

quartz in the countertop manufacturing industry can 

also expose workers to dangerous silica dust. 

How much silica is in countertop material? 

Depending on the type of stone in question, 

countertops may contain over 90% silica. The highest 

silica levels are associated with manufactured 

countertops, where pigments and adhesives comprise 

the remaining materials. Silica content is generally 

lower in natural stone products. Calcium-based 

stones, including limestone and certain varieties of 

marble (e.g., calcite, dolomite, and onyx), contain little 

or no silica. In contrast, granite can contain up to 45-

50% silica. The table below describes typical silica/ 

quartz content of common natural and engineered 

stones. Note that silica/quartz content will vary 

among stone varieties, and the exact content can 

be determined by petrographic and X-ray diffraction 

analysis on each rock. 

Average % 

Stone Silica 

Engineered stone ≥93 

Quartzite 95 

Quartzitic sandstone 90 

Sandstone 60 

Granite 10 - 45 

Slate Varies 

Soapstone Varies 

Sources: Silica Hazards from Engineered Stone Countertops, NIOSH 

Science Blog, March 2014; ASTM C616, Standard Specification for 

Quartz-Based Dimension Stone; American Geological Institute, Dictionary 

of Geological Terms 

Certain work operations release crystalline

silica dust into the air. 

Workers operating powered hand tools, such as saws, 

grinders, and high-speed polishers, have some of 

the highest silica dust exposures in the countertop 

manufacturing, finishing and installation industries. 

These exposures come from dry cutting, grinding, 

edging, and contouring stone, and may occur in shop 

environments as well as on job sites where finishing 

work is completed. 

In the manufactured stone industry, workers may 

also be exposed to silica dust when opening bags of 

ground quartz, moving or mixing bulk raw materials, 

cleaning and scraping mixers, or cleaning dust 

collector bag houses. 

Workers performing other tasks in areas close 

to where silica dust-generating operations occur 

may also be exposed. Without proper engineering 

controls, such as water sprays or local exhaust 

ventilation (LEV), and personal protective equipment 

(PPE), where appropriate, workers can inhale silicacontaining dust from these operations. 

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What can be done at stone 

countertop worksites to protect

workers from exposure to silica? 

Under the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) 

Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing 

safe and healthful working conditions for their 

workers. Employers must determine which jobs and 

activities expose workers to silica and take actions 

to control overexposures and protect workers. 

A combination of engineering controls, work 

practices, protective equipment, worker training, 

and other measures is needed to protect workers 

from overexposure to silica during stone countertop 

manufacturing, finishing and installation. 

Monitor the air to determine worker 

exposures to silica 

Collect respirable crystalline silica dust samples to 

determine which jobs expose workers to silica above 

exposure limits. Employers should consult with a trained 

occupational safety and health professional, such as 

a certified industrial hygienist, or contact OSHA’s free 

On-site Consultation Program for small and mediumsized businesses: www.osha.gov/consultation. 

If air samples show levels above OSHA’s Permissible 

Exposure Limit (PEL), employers are required to take 

action to reduce worker exposures to below the PEL. 

NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) 

NIOSH recommends that employers control 

exposure to respirable crystalline silica so 

that no worker is exposed to a time-weighted 

average concentration of silica greater than 

50 μg/m3

 of air, as determined by a full-shift 

sample for up to a 10-hour workday of a 

40-hour workweek. 

OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) 

The OSHA general industry PEL for quartz, 

the most common form of crystalline silica, is 

an 8-hour time-weighted average exposure to 

respirable dust. For pure quartz silica, the PEL 

is approximately equal to 100 μg/m3

 of air. 

However, both OSHA and NIOSH recommend that 

employers take the protective actions below to keep 

worker exposures below the NIOSH Recommended 

Exposure Limit (REL). 

Control dust exposures by using engineering 

controls and safe work practices 

Engineering controls and work practices provide the 

best protection for workers and must be implemented 

first, before respiratory protection is used. Working 

with industry partners, NIOSH and OSHA have 

identified the following control options for countertop 

manufacturing, finishing and installation operations: 

Engineering controls and equipment changes for 

manufacturing and finishing 

•		 Use water spraying systems and remote-controlled 

tools at the impact site where a saw or grinder 

generates dust. 

•		 Large bridge or gantry-like saws usually use water 

sprays and can be remote-controlled for dust 

control and cooling. 

•		 Hand-held angle grinders can be modified to deliver 

water to the point of contact with the stone. 

•		 Wet-edge milling machines or stone routers can 

replace dry grinders in shops. They provide a clean 

edge profile with a diamond wheel. 

•		 Use hand tools (e.g., drills, masonry saws, grinders) 

equipped with a shroud and a vacuum with a high 

efficiency particulate air (HEPA)-filter when wet 

methods are not practicable. 

•		 Install LEV systems at fixed locations to capture 

dust at its point of origin. 

•		 Use a combination of both water and ventilation 

controls, if necessary. 

Work practices 

•		 Use wet sweeping or HEPA-filtered vacuuming 

instead of dry sweeping or compressed air. 

•		 Replace water and air filters as needed to 

control dust. 

•		 Adjust water flow as necessary to control dust, 

following manufacturers’ recommendations for 

water flow rates. 

•		 Pre-wash stone slabs prior to cutting. 

•		 Implement regular and thorough housekeeping 

procedures for water slurry and settled dust. 

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In high exposure areas, such as where cutting or 

polishing work generates silica dust, provide HEPAfiltered vacuums for cleaning worker clothes and water 

for hand, face, and hair cleaning. 

Several OSHA standards and directives
	

cover operations that may expose workers
	

to silica, including:
	

•		 Air Contaminants (29 CFR 1910.1000) 

•		 Hazard Communication (29 CFR 1910.1200) 

•		 Respiratory Protection (29 CFR 1910.134) 

OSHA’s Directive CPL 03-00-007, titled 

National Emphasis Program – Crystalline 

Silica, has detailed information on silica 

hazards, guidelines for air sampling, guidance 

on calculating PELs for dust containing silica, 

and other compliance information. 

Identify and isolate remaining 

dust-generating operations 

•		 Through air monitoring, identify high exposure 

activities associated with countertop finishing 

operations. These likely involve angle grinding, 

other types of grinding and cutting with saws. 

•		 Isolate the silica dust-producing operation(s) using 

enclosures or walls. Enclosures are more effective 

when used with LEV. 

•		 Alternatively, enclose the person, if possible, by 

putting him or her in a control booth. 

•		 In some severe cases it may be necessary to 

isolate some finishing tasks in separate areas.6 This 

may be needed more frequently for manufactured 

stone because of its high silica content. 

For installation operations in commercial and 

residential spaces 

•		 Do as much work as possible under controlled 

shop conditions instead of on site, or perform 

work outdoors or in well-ventilated areas to reduce 

respirable crystalline silica dust exposure. 

•		 Wet methods for dust control may not be practicable 

on or near finished cabinets, walls, and floors, so 

other suppression methods (e.g., LEV) should be 

used during these operations. 

•		 Use grinding and drilling tools equipped with dust 

shrouds coupled with LEV and a HEPA filter. 

Controls can be either tool mounted (drills) or 

attached to a vacuum system. 

•		 Use a HEPA-filtered vacuum to clean up dust as 

soon as practicable. 

The Marble Institute of America (MIA) technical 

module, “Silicosis – An Industry Guide to Awareness 

and Prevention,” offers tips on controlling silica 

exposures in stone cutting operations. It is available 

to workers and employers on the MIA web site: www. 

marble-institute.com/silica/Silicosis_Industry_Guide_ 

Tech_Module_2008.pdf. Other resources from MIA 

can be found at: www.marble-institute.com/silica. 

Provide respiratory protection when it is 

needed to protect workers 

When engineering and work practice controls do not 

limit silica exposures to OSHA’s PEL, employers must 

provide workers with respirators. Whenever respirators 

are required, the employer must have a respiratory 

protection program that meets the requirements of 

OSHA’s Respiratory Protection standard (29 CFR 

1910.134, www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_ 

document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=12716). This 

program must include proper respirator selection, fit 

testing, medical evaluations, and training. 

The workers shown above are wearing a NIOSH-approved N95 filtering facepiece respirator (left), a full facepiece 

elastomeric respirator (center), and a loose-fitting powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) (right). 

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If respirators are provided, use at least a NIOSH- Employers should consult with a clinician, such as 

approved N95 respirator. If the silica level is more than a Board-Certified Occupational Medicine physician 

10 times the PEL, a half-face respirator is not protective familiar with the health effects of silica, when 

enough and a respirator that offers a greater level of developing a medical monitoring program for their 

protection, such as a full-facepiece respirator that will workers who are exposed to silica. 

protect workers at silica levels up to 50 times the PEL,
	

must be used. Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR)
	

also provide more protection than half-face air-purifying
	

respirators. In general, workers find PAPRs to be
	

more comfortable than pressure-demand respirators,
	

including tight-fitting elastomeric varieties.
	

For more information, visit OSHA’s Safety and
	

Health Topics web page (www.osha.gov/SLTC/
	

respiratoryprotection) and eTool (www.osha.gov/SLTC/
	

etools/respiratory) on respiratory protection.
	

Provide training and information to workers 

about the hazards of silica and other chemicals 

OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard (www.osha. 

gov/hazcom) requires that employers provide their 

workers with training and information about hazardous 

chemicals used in the workplace. Employers must 

provide training and information to workers in a 

manner and language that the worker can understand. 

Employers must: 

•		 Prepare and implement a written hazard 

communication program. 

•		 Provide training and information on the hazards of 

silica and other chemicals used in the workplace. 

•		 Provide workers access to Safety Data 

Sheets (SDSs) on silica and other hazardous 

chemicals they are exposed to during countertop 

manufacturing, finishing and installation. 

•		 Ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals 

is labeled appropriately. 

Consider medical monitoring for workers who 

are exposed to silica 

As part of its National Emphasis Program on 

Silica (www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_ 

document?p_table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=3790), 

OSHA recommends that employers provide medical 

exams to all workers who may be exposed to silica 

levels at or above one-half the PEL. Recommended 

medical tests include: 

•		 A medical exam that focuses on the respiratory 

system and includes a work and medical history. 

•		 A chest X-ray, evaluated by a qualified professional. 

For additional information on medical monitoring, refer 

to OSHA Directive CPL 03-00-007, available at: www. 

osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_ 

table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=3790. 

Findings on Worker Exposures

to Silica 

Data from OSHA and NIOSH air monitoring and other 

published studies provide estimates of countertop 

industry worker exposure to airborne crystalline 

silica. In most countertop manufacturing, finishing, 

and installation operations, engineering controls 

and proper work practices are generally effective in 

reducing worker exposures to the OSHA PEL, and, in 

many instances, to levels at or below the NIOSH REL. 

Respiratory protection may still be necessary to protect 

workers in some cases, however. 

In many shops, current practices still involve dry 

cutting, grinding, polishing, and other work that 

releases silica dust into the air. Phillips et al. (2012) 

found that approximately 74% of 47 countertop shops 

in three metropolitan areas of Oklahoma reported 

using predominantly dry methods in at least one 

step of their work, and only four shops (9%) reported 

using dust collection or suppression systems at all. 

The data summarized below provide information on 

worker exposures to airborne crystalline silica dust and 

illustrate how the implementation of proper controls 

can help protect workers from overexposures. 

Countertop Finishers in Washington State 

Simcox et al. (1999) reviewed data from six separate 

granite countertop shops in Washington State. 

Nineteen air samples were taken of fabrication 

and finishing workers using dry methods without 

engineering controls such as LEV. These samples 

showed exposures to silica concentrations between 

<40 and 770 μg/m3. Shops using dry methods 

switched to wet methods, resulting in a dramatic 

reduction in worker exposure to silica dust. Eighteen 

samples from workers using wet methods showed 

silica concentrations between <20 to 100 μg/m3. In 

one shop where the workers who were sampled used 

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bridge saws and angle grinders, the mean silica 

concentration dropped by 440 μg/m3

 after switching to 

new and retrofitted water-fed tools. 

Cutting Stone Blocks and Slabs 

OSHA reviewed results of exposure samples for 

sawyers from 10 OSHA Special Emphasis Program 

(SEP) Inspection reports and one NIOSH report. 

Among 22 instances in which sawyers used wet 

methods—often a water feed to the saw—to reduce 

dust, full-shift median exposure was 54 μg/m3

, 

with mean exposure of 61 μg/m3

 and a range of 

15 μg/m3

 to 134 μg/m3. Twelve results (55%) exceeded 

50 μg/m3

, and four results (18%) exceeded 100 μg/m3. 

Where a water feed to a saw alone is not sufficient, 

spraying the stone before cutting it or between 

multiple cuts can further reduce exposures. In one 

operation where workers used wet sawing, they 

were still exposed to average silica concentrations of 

70-110 μg/m3. Using these added controls resulted 

in exposures below the 50 μg/m3

 NIOSH REL. The 

additon of LEV in the shop further reduced exposures 

to 15-32 μg/m3. 

Courtesy David L. Johnson & Margaret Phillips,University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center 

A worker uses an angle grinder with a polishing pad to 

finish a stone countertop. The water-fed tool helps reduce 

exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust generated 

during grinding and polishing operations. 

Exposure Varies by Stone Type 

Silica exposure can vary depending on the silica 

content of the stone used. OSHA collected air 

samples as part of inspections at several granite and 

marble shops. In the marble shop, two finishers dry 

grinding green marble with very low silica content 

(1.8% quartz) were exposed to airborne silica levels of 

39 and 45 μg/m3

 (both below the NIOSH REL), even 

though no engineering controls, such as water sprays 

or LEV, were used. In the granite shop, which also did 

not use engineering controls, airborne crystalline silica 

dust exposures were considerably higher, ranging 

from 89 to 460 μg/m3. It is reasonable to anticipate 

that performing similar operations using materials with 

higher silica content, such as some manufactured 

stone products, could result in even higher exposures. 

How Can OSHA and NIOSH Help? 

OSHA has compliance assistance specialists 

throughout the nation who can provide information 

to employers and workers about OSHA standards, 

short educational programs on specific hazards or 

OSHA rights and responsibilities, and information on 

additional compliance assistance resources. Contact 

your local OSHA office for more information by 

visiting: www.osha.gov/html/RAmap.html. 

OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program offers free 

and confidential advice for small and medium-sized 

businesses with fewer than 250 employees at a site 

(and no more than 500 employees nationwide) to help 

identify and correct hazards at worksites. On-site 

consultation services are separate from enforcement 

and do not result in penalties or citations. To locate 

the nearest OSHA Consultation office, visit: www. 

osha.gov/consultation or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742). 

NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Program: 

Employees, employee representatives, or employers 

can ask NIOSH to conduct Health Hazard Evaluations 

(HHEs) at their workplace. NIOSH may provide 

assistance and information by phone or in writing, 

or may visit the workplace to assess employee 

exposure and health. Based on their findings, NIOSH 

will recommend ways to reduce hazards and prevent 

work-related illness. The evaluation is done at no 

cost to the employees, employee representatives, 

or employers. For more information about the HHE 

program, visit the NIOSH HHE webpage at: www. 

cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/HHEprogram.html or contact the 

HHE program by phone at 513-841-4381. For general 

information or questions about any hazard or illness, 

call NIOSH Information Service: 1-800-CDC-INFO 

(1-800-232-4636). 

NIOSH recommendations for preventing silicosis, 

including dust control, sampling and analysis 

methods, medical monitoring of workers, training, 

and respiratory protection, can be found at the Silica 

Topics webpage at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/silica. 

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Workers’ Rights 

Workers have the right to: 

•		 Working conditions that do not pose a risk of 

serious harm. 

•		 Receive information and training (in a language 

and vocabulary the worker understands) about 

workplace hazards, methods to prevent them, and 

the OSHA standards that apply to their workplace. 

•		 Review records of work-related injuries 

and illnesses. 

•		 File a complaint asking OSHA to inspect 

their workplace if they believe there is a serious 

hazard or that their employer is not following OSHA’s 

rules. OSHA will keep all identities confidential. 

•		 Exercise their rights under the law without retaliation, 

including reporting an injury or raising health and 

safety concerns with their employer or OSHA. If a 

worker has been retaliated against for using their 

rights, they must file a complaint with OSHA as soon 

as possible, but no later than 30 days. 

For additional information on Workers’ Rights, 

Employer Responsibilities, and other services OSHA 

offers, visit www.osha.gov. 

Contact OSHA 

For questions or to get information or advice, to report 

an emergency, to report a fatality or catastrophe, to 

order publications, to file a confidential complaint, or 

to request OSHA’s free on-site consultation service, 

contact your nearest OSHA office, visit www.osha. 

gov, or call OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), TTY 

1-877-889-5627. 

Many states operate their own occupational safety 

and health programs approved by OSHA. States 

enforce similar standards that may have different 

or additional requirements. A list of state plans is 

available at www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp. 

OSHA On-site Consultation Services 

OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program offers free 

and confidential assistance to small and mediumsized employers on identifying and correcting 

hazards. On-site consultation services are separate 

from enforcement and do not result in penalties or 

citations. For more information, visit www.osha.gov/ 

consultation, or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742). 

Contact NIOSH 

To receive documents or more information about 

occupational safety and health topics, please contact 

NIOSH at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636), TTY 

1-888-232-6348, email cdcinfo@cdc.gov, or visit the 

NIOSH website at www.cdc.gov/niosh. 

Industry Information 

The Marble Institute of America—a trade association 

of natural stone producers, exporters/importers, 

distributors/wholesalers, fabricators, finishers, 

installers, and industry suppliers—has developed 

several training videos, guidebooks, and other training 

resources to assist employers in the stone countertop 

industry in protecting their workers from exposure to 

respirable crystalline silica. Visit www.marble-institute. 

com/silica to learn more. 

1 García Vadillo, C., Sánchez Gómez, J., Romero Morillo, J. (2011). 

Silicosis in Quartz Conglomerate Workers. Arch Bronconeumol, 

47(1):52-57. 

2 Martinez, C., Prieto, A., Garcia, L., Quero, A., Gonzalez, S., Casan, P. 

(2010). Silicosis: a Disease with an Active Present. Arch Bronconeumol, 

46(2):97–100. 

3 Kramer, M., Blanc, P., Fireman, E., Amital, A., Guber, A., Rhahman., 

N., et al. (2012). Artificial Stone Silicosis: Disease Resurgence Among 

Artificial Stone Workers. Chest, 142(2): 419-424. 

4 Marble Institute of America (2008). Silicosis: An Industry Guide to 

Awareness and Prevention. Cleveland, OH: Marble Institute of America. 

5 Phillips, M.L., Johnson, D.L., & Johnson, A.C. (2013). Determinants 

of Respirable Silica Exposure in Stone Countertop Fabrication: A 

Preliminary Study. J Occup Environ Hyg, 10(7), 368-373; Marble 

Institute of America [MIA], (2013). MIA Safety Services – Crystalline 

Silica and Silicosis, www.marble-institute.com/silica/Safety_ 

Services_24_0_2013.pdf. 

6 Health and Safety Executive. (2001). Controlling Exposure to 

Stonemasonry Dust. www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg201.htm 

7 Phillips, M.L. & Johnson, A.C. (2012). Prevalence of Dry Methods in 

Granite Countertop Fabrication in Oklahoma. J Occup Environ Hyg, 9: 

437-442. 

8 Simcox, N.J., Lofgren, D., Leons, J., & Camp, J. (1999). Silica exposure 

during granite countertop fabrication. Applied Occupational and 

Environmental Hygiene, 14(9), 577-582. 

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U.S. Department of Labor

www.osha.gov

Disclaimer 

This Hazard Alert is not a standard or regulation, and it creates no new legal obligations. It contains 

recommendations as well as descriptions of mandatory safety and health standards [and other regulatory 

requirements]. The recommendations are advisory in nature, informational in content, and are intended to 

assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires 

employers to comply with safety and health standards and regulations promulgated by OSHA or by a state with 

an OSHA-approved state plan. In addition, the Act’s General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1), requires employers to 

provide their employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical 

harm. The mention of any non-governmental organization or link to its website in this Hazard Alert does not 

constitute an endorsement by OSHA or NIOSH of that organization or its products, services, or website. 

U.S. Department of Labor 

TM 

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2015-106 │ OSHA - HA-3768-2015 

DTSEM 02/2015