Cal/OSHA Permanent Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) standard (2024/2025)

Summary: California adopted a permanent silica standard (to protect workers handling engineered stone and other silica sources). The Standards Board voted in late 2024 and Cal/OSHA action continued into early 2025.                                          Source: CalOSHA                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Sacramento—The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted unanimously to make emergency regulations permanent, protecting workers from respirable crystalline silica (RCS), especially those who work with artificial, man-made stone.

The Board’s decision highlights the need to protect workers who fabricate countertops and similar products made from artificial stone and natural stone containing more than 10% crystalline silica. Without proper protection and procedures, workers breathing in silica dust are likely to get the disease silicosis—an incurable, progressive disease that can cause serious and fatal health effects.

Cal/OSHA Wildfire smoke / unhealthy air protections (emergency standard & related guidance)

Summary: Cal/OSHA’s wildfire smoke protections and guidance remain active and some emergency/regulatory clarifications were emphasized in 2025: employers must monitor PM2.5/AQI and implement controls, communicate hazards, provide training, and provide respiratory protection when trigger thresholds are met. Cal/OSHA maintains a specific emergency standard and guidance for wildfire smoke exposure.                                                                                                                                                Source: Cal/OSHA

Wildfire smoke is composed of harmful chemicals and tiny particles suspended in the air that present a significant health hazard for workers exposed to it. These particles can irritate the lungs and cause serious or even fatal health effects, such as:

• Reduced lung function
• Bronchitis
• Worsening of asthma
• Heart failure

Cal/OSHA Stricter Lead Exposure Standards (Jan. 2025)

Summary: California substantially lowered the lead PEL (to ~10 µg/m³ TWA) and tightened action levels and medical/cleaning requirements.  Cal/OSHA lowered the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for lead in general industry: from 50 µg/m³ to 10 µg/m³ (8-hour TWA). The action level also dropped from 30 µg/m³ to 2 µg/m³.                                                            Source: Cal/OSHA

Cal/OSHA clarifications on construction abrasive blasting and lead (special limits & controls) (Clarifications released May 2025)

Summary: Cal/OSHA issued clarifications on lead limits for abrasive blasting, time limits, and respiratory protection specifics (e.g., interim limits for abrasive blasting until 2030).    Source:  Cal DIR

Regulation requires employers to perform exposure assessments for employees who may be exposed to lead on the worksite, to determine their employees’ actual exposure. This includes employees who conduct dry abrasive blasting. Until the employer performs the assessment and determines actual employee exposure, the maximum amount of time an employee can conduct dry abrasive blasting is limited to five hours per day, and after January 1, 2030, the amount of time must be limited to 2 hours per day.