Crystalline silica is a common mineral found in the earth’s crust. Materials like sand, stone, concrete, and mortar contain crystalline silica. Respirable crystalline silica – very small particles at least 100 times smaller than ordinary sand you might find on beaches and playgrounds – is created when cutting, sawing, grinding, drilling, and crushing stone, rock, concrete, brick, block, and mortar. Activities such as abrasive blasting with sand; sawing brick or concrete; sanding or drilling into concrete walls; grinding mortar; manufacturing brick, concrete blocks, stone countertops, or ceramic products; and cutting or crushing stone result in worker exposures to respirable crystalline silica dust. Workers who inhale these very small crystalline silica particles are at increased risk of developing serious silica-related diseases, including:
- Silicosis, an incurable lung disease that can lead to disability and death;
- Lung cancer;
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); and
- Kidney disease.
To protect workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica, OSHA requires specific safety training. This class is 1 hour and 58 minutes long and is intended to meet OSHA’s 1926.1153 training requirements.
Click here for Silica Training for Spanish speakers
Don’t worry, this training isn’t boring. These trainers are contractors too and always keep things interesting…and what you learn could save your life!
How do I access training?
Once you place your order for a class, you will receive a link and log-in to that class the following business day. At the end of the course, you’ll be awarded a certificate, which you can download and print to prove your completion of the course.
(sample video below)
