Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) launched a new enforcement initiative to better protect the nation's miners from health hazards due to repeated overexposure to respirable crystalline silica.

Crystalline silica is described by MSHA as a common mineral found in the earth's crust that can be found in materials like sand, stone, concrete and mortar. Respirable crystalline silica can easily become airborne during the cutting, sawing, grinding, drilling and crushing of these materials.

MSHA reports silica dust affects thousands of miners each year and without adequate protection, miners face risks of serious illnesses, many of which can be fatal. These include black lung disease and silicosis. As part of the new enforcement initiative, the agency is conducting silica dust-related mine inspections and expanding silica sampling at mines.

The silica enforcement initiative specifically includes:

• Spot inspections at various mines with a history of repeated silica overexposures to closely monitor and evaluate health and safety conditions.
  
• Increased oversight and enforcement of known silica hazards at mines with previous citations for exposing miners to silica dust levels over the existing permissible exposure limit of 100 micrograms.
  
• Expanded silica sampling at metal and nonmetal mines to ensure inspectors' samples represent the mines, commodities and occupations known to have the highest risk for overexposure.
  
• A focus on sampling during periods of the mining process that present the highest risk of silica exposure for miners.
  

“EMSL Analytical, with decades of experience identifying respirable crystalline silica, is here to help mine operators protect their workers and comply with regulatory programs,” said Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President, Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “Our industrial hygiene, material and environmental laboratories, located across the United States and Canada, provide testing services, sampling supplies, air monitoring instruments and a wide selection of personal protective equipment (PPE) to support these important health and safety initiatives.”

To learn more about testing for crystalline silica or for access to sampling supplies, air monitoring instruments and PPE, please visit www.EMSL.com, call (800) 220-3675 or email info@EMSL.com .

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP 797, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOC's, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products, and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP, and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.

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