OSHA’s fall 2015 semiannual regulatory agenda projects that the final rule for occupational exposure to crystalline silica, which has been in development for more than 15 years, will be completed in February 2016. The agency’s proposed rule, which was published in September 2013, would set a new permissible exposure limit (PEL) for respirable crystalline silica of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air calculated as an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA), down from about 100 micrograms for general industry and 250 micrograms for construction and shipyards. OSHA received more than 1,700 comments on the proposed rule and heard testimony from more than 200 stakeholders during public hearings on the proposal. The agency is currently reviewing and considering the evidence in the rulemaking record.  See http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201510&RIN=1218-AB70 for more information.

Spring Environmental will be CLOSED on Friday December 25 for Christmas Day and Friday January 1 for New Year’s Day. December 21 through 24, and December 28 through 31 we will have limited staffing but we will be open our normal business hours of 8 am to 5 pm.