BAC Marks 10 Years of Silica Safety Progress

Ten years after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released its respirable crystalline silica rule, leaders in the union construction sector say the standard has changed jobsites, tools and expectations.

On the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC) Health and Safety Director Lily Calderon outlined how years of union advocacy helped move silica exposure from a known danger to a regulated hazard, while also making clear that enforcement, training and updated standards still matter.

• The BAC helped push silica protections forward by documenting worker harm, elevating member testimony and pressing regulators over multiple years.
• The OSHA rule led to wider use of engineering controls, such as water-delivery systems and HEPA dust-collection systems, for cutting, drilling and grinding tools.
• Union leaders say the next phase must focus on training, enforcement and expanding task guidance as construction methods and equipment continue to evolve.

How BAC helped move silica exposure from a hidden hazard to a national standard

A decade after OSHA released its respirable crystalline silica rule for construction, the anniversary stands as more than a regulatory milestone. It marks a long labor fight to force recognition of a hazard that had been damaging workers’ lungs for years before stronger protections reached the jobsite.

That was the central message from Lily Calderon, Director of Health and Safety for the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, during her recent appearance on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast. Speaking from both field experience and union leadership, Calderon described silica as a familiar risk in masonry and related trades, where cutting, grinding, drilling and mixing can release fine dust that workers may inhale day after day.

Respirable crystalline silica is tied to silicosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease. The exposure threshold is also remarkably small, which helps explain why labor advocates spent years pressing for stronger standards and clearer controls.

For the BAC, the issue did not begin with a single rulemaking announcement. It developed over time as members reported health problems, described inadequate protections and showed how routine construction tasks could create long-term harm. According to Calderon’s account, union advocacy included surveying members, gathering testimony and pushing worker experience into formal policy discussions. That effort reflected a familiar labor pattern: workers identify the hazard first, then unions organize the evidence needed to force action.

Why the OSHA silica rule changed construction jobsite practices

The 2016 silica rule helped move the industry from limited protection toward more systematic prevention, Calderon said. Before the standard took hold, many jobsites lacked consistent controls for silica-generating tasks. After, contractors and tool manufacturers had stronger reasons to adapt.

One of the clearest changes has been the wider use of engineering controls. In practical terms, that means tools and work methods designed to stop dust from becoming a breathing hazard in the first place. Water delivery systems and HEPA vacuum attachments are now more common on equipment used for cutting, drilling and grinding. Those controls matter because they reduce airborne dust at the source rather than relying only on workers to respond after exposure has already begun.

The rule also helped standardize expectations across the industry. Instead of treating silica as an unavoidable byproduct of masonry work, it pushed employers to deal with the hazard. That shift is significant for union construction, where safety culture depends not only on equipment but on whether contractors, supervisors and crews treat prevention as part of the job.

Calderon’s assessment was clear: the OSHA silica standard improved conditions and moved the industry forward. At the same time, she indicated that progress should not be mistaken for completion.

Why training and enforcement remain central to silica protection

Even with better tools on the market, Calderon stressed that equipment alone does not solve the problem. The effectiveness of silica protection still depends on whether workers are trained to use controls properly and whether employers build those protections into daily operations.

That point carries weight in construction, where a control measure can fail if crews are rushed, equipment is misused, or supervisors do not reinforce the standard. A vacuum attachment or water-fed saw only protects workers when it is selected correctly, maintained properly and used consistently.

This is where union training remains indispensable. Apprenticeship and continuing education equip workers with the knowledge to recognize silica hazards, understand exposure limits, and apply the appropriate controls for the task at hand. Training also helps workers identify when an employer is falling short.

Calderon framed that responsibility broadly. Union health and safety work includes supporting enforcement, educating contractors on best practices, and ensuring members speak up when conditions are unsafe.

When construction unions push for stronger protections, the standards often raise expectations across the industry, including on nonunion jobsites. The result is a wider safety floor for all workers exposed to the same hazard.

Why BAC wants OSHA to expand silica task guidance

Calderon said the current rule has been effective, but she also pointed to unfinished business. One of the BAC’s priorities is expanding OSHA’s task-based guidance, commonly known as Table 1, which outlines required controls for common construction activities involving silica exposure.

That framework connects specific tasks to specific protective measures, including engineering controls, work practices and respiratory protection where needed. For a fast-moving industry, that kind of clarity can make compliance more realistic and more consistent.

But construction technology does not stand still. New tools, new methods, and updated equipment create opportunities to further reduce exposure. Calderon indicated that the BAC has been urging OSHA for years to reopen and expand that task list so the standard better reflects current jobsite realities.

The policy implication is straightforward: a rule can be effective and still need updating. Labor’s position is not simply that silica should be regulated. It is that regulation that must keep pace with the way work is actually performed.

What the silica rule anniversary says about labor’s role in worker safety

The 10-year mark offers a useful reminder of how workplace protections are won. Reducing silica dust on jobsites happened only after workers, unions, and safety advocates documented harm, organized to exert pressure and demanded enforceable standards.

The union’s message is that safety requires more than compliance language on paper. It requires tools, training, enforcement and a culture that puts a premium on protecting workers’ long-term health.

That is especially important in the building trades, where exposure risks may not fully manifest for years. Silica-related illness often develops slowly, which can make the hazard easier for employers to downplay and harder for workers to track. Union education helps close that gap by connecting today’s dust exposure to tomorrow’s health consequences.

Ten years after the rule’s release, the need for continued vigilance remains.

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