Subchapter 4. Construction Safety Orders § 1532.3. Occupational Exposures to Respirable Crystalline Silica
( a) Scope and application.
( 1) This section applies to all occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica in construction work, except where employee exposure will remain below 25 micrograms per cubic meter of air( 25 μg / m3) as an 8-hour time-weighted average( TWA) under any foreseeable conditions.
( 2) Section 5204.1 also applies to the onsite fabrication of artificial stone with more than 1.0 % or more crystalline silica. Fabrication activities are prohibited in construction work to the extent they are prohibited by section 5204.1 regardless of where they occur.
Exception 1 to subsection( a)( 2): Section 5204.1 does not apply to onsite installation, maintenance, or repair of artificial stone products. Onsite maintenance and repair work is not prohibited.
Exception 2 to subsection( a)( 2). Section 5204.1 does not apply to the installation of artificial stone products until [ OAL INSERT EFFECTIVE DATE OF EMERGENCY REGULATION PLUS 360 DAYS ]. After that date, installation of artificial stone products is prohibited pursuant to section 5204.1.
( 3) Effective [ OAL INSERT EFFECTIVE DATE OF EMERGENCY REGULATION PLUS 360 DAYS ], the installation of artificial stone slabs or panels containing more than 1.0 % or more crystalline silica by weight is strictly prohibited in any place of employment.
( b) Definitions * * * *
( 2)“ Installation” means on-site fitting, placement, positioning, leveling, securing, and final onsite modification or assembly of artificial stone slabs that were previously fabricated. This is limited to minor on-site adjustments to improve fit and does not include fabrication activities. The following activities are considered fabrication and not installation:
( A) Cutting or enlarging openings for sinks, faucets, cooktops, fixtures or appliances;( B) Creating or modifying edge profiles;( C) Polishing, grinding, honing, sanding, resurfacing, refinishing, or laminating;( D) Routing, coring, drilling, shaping or contouring;( E) Creating, modifying, or finishing waterfall edges;
( F) Any alteration that removes material from the slab beyond that necessary for a minor fit adjustment.