Finding of Emergency Section 5204 , Occupational Exposures to Respirable Crystalline Silica Business Meeting : December 14 , 2023 Page 4 of 36
The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board ( Board ) finds that the adoption of this proposed emergency standard is necessary to address an emergency pursuant to GC section 11346.1 ( b )( 1 ). The Board finds that immediate action must be taken to avoid serious harm to the public peace , health , safety or general welfare , for the reasons stated below .
Basis for the Finding of Emergency
FINDING OF EMERGENCY
1 ) Exposure to RCS can result in silicosis .
Inhalation of RCS is associated with the development of silicosis , an incurable , progressive lung disease that can lead to pulmonary fibrosis , respiratory failure , and eventually death . 3 RCS exposure is also associated with other diseases , including autoimmune disorders , chronic renal disease , lung cancer , pulmonary tuberculosis and COPD . 4 All persons with high exposures to RCS develop silicosis within a few years . 5
2 ) Silicosis is an incurable disease .
The diameter of RCS particles is smaller than 10 micrometers (µ m ), which is about 100 times smaller than ordinary sand . 6 , 7 When inhaled , RCS particles are carried deeply into the lungs , creating fibrotic areas that are unable to exchange oxygen . This scarring process continues even after exposure to RCS stops , producing the progressive respiratory insufficiency of silicosis that has been described as akin to suffocating . 8 , 9
3
Krefft S , Wolff J , Rose C . Silicosis : an update and guide for clinicians . Clin Chest Med . 2020 Dec ; 41 ( 4 ): 709‐722 . https :// pubmed . ncbi . nlm . nih . gov / 33153689 /. Accessed August 16 , 2023
4
NIOSH ( 2002 ). Health effects . op . cit . https :// www . cdc . gov / niosh / docs / 2002-129 / default . html .
5
Akgun M , et al . Silicosis Appears Inevitable Among Former Denim Sandblasters : A 4-Year Follow-up Study . Chest . 2015 Sep ; 148 ( 3 ): 647-654 . https :// pubmed . ncbi . nlm . nih . gov / 25654743 /. Accessed on August 21 , 2023 .
6
U . S . Department of Labor . Occupational Safety and Health Administration . Overview : Silica , Crystalline . https :// www . osha . gov / silica-crystalline . Accessed August 16 , 2023 .
7
Carrieri M , et al . Characterization of Silica Exposure during Manufacturing of Artificial Stone Countertops . Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2020 Jun ; 17 ( 12 ): 4489 . https :// www . ncbi . nlm . nih . gov / pmc / articles / PMC7345731 /. Accessed August 16 , 2023 .
8
Morris J , Rojas LB ( December 2 , 2022 ). Ancient Lung Disease Strikes Countertop Cutters in Southern California . Public Health Watch . https :// publichealthwatch . org / 2022 / 12 / 02 / lung-disease-silica-countertops-southerncalifornia /. Accessed August 16 , 2023
9
Blackley DJ , et al . Transplantation for work‐related lung disease in the USA . Occup Environ Med . 2020 ; 77 ( 11 ): 790‐ 794 . https :// www . ncbi . nlm . nih . gov / pmc / articles / PMC7702182 / Accessed August 16 , 2023 .