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Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Proposes Adopting New Federal Fall Protection and Respirable Crystalline Silica Standards

Published on 31/05/2017

#crystalline silica standard
#fall protection
#Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry

On May 22, 2017 the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry proposed adopting the new federal fall protection and respirable crystalline silica standards. On May 22, 2017 the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry proposed adopting the new federal fall protection and respirable crystalline silica standards. The fall protection standard, titled, “Walking-Work Surfaces and Personal Protective Equipment” was published in 81 FR 82494 (2016). The standard covers all general industry walking and working surfaces, including but not limited to, floors, ladders, stairways, runways, dockboards, roofs, scaffolds, and elevated work surfaces and walkways. The standard incorporates modern national consensus standards and accounts for changes in technology since the previous rule was enacted. One of the most significant changes makes cages and wells no longer acceptable forms of fall protection on fixed ladders higher than 24 feet and will require employers to install proper fall protection systems on such fixed ladders within a certain period of time. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry is also proposing adopting OSHA’s new respirable crystalline silica rule published in 81 FR 16286 (2016). The new respirable crystalline silica rule importantly lowers the permissible exposure limit (PEL) to 50 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) of air as an 8-hour time-weighted average for all forms of crystalline silica for all industries. Interested or affected persons have 30 days after May 22, 2017 to submit in writing, data, and views on the proposed amendments to Minnesota’s rule. Written comments or requests for a public hearing should be sent to: Occupational Safety and Health Division, Department of Labor and Industry, 443 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, Minnesota 55155-4307.

Sources :

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Proposes Adopting New Federal Fall Protection and Crystalline Silica Standards, 41 Minnesota State Register, 1347 (2017).

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Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Proposes Adopting New Federal Fall Protection and Respirable Crystalline Silica Standards

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