A new report by the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC) found that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) proposed silica standards for U.S. construction industry will cost the industry $5 billion per year. That’s about $4.5 billion per year more than OSHA’s estimate.
The coalition says that OSHA’s flawed cost estimates point to flaws in the rule, and has urged the federal agency to reconsider its approach. The proposed rule aims to greatly reduce the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of crystalline silica for the construction industry.
The agency pegged the cost to the construction industry at about $511 million a year. “The OSHA analysis included major errors and omissions that account for the large discrepancies with the CISC report,” according to a statement from the industry group.
The CISC report estimates that about 80% of the cost ($3.9 billion/year) will be direct compliance expenditures by the industry such as additional equipment, labor and record-keeping costs.
The remaining 20% will come from increased prices that the industry will have to pay for construction materials and building products such as concrete block, glass, and roofing shingles. OSHA’s estimates failed to take into account these additional costs, CISC says. The added cost would be passed down to customers, the industry group says.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | May 20, 2019
Effort launched to develop better process for zero-carbon retrofits in multifamily sector
Rocky Mountain Institute, Dept. of Energy, California Energy Commission join forces.
Codes and Standards | May 20, 2019
Property lenders shouldn’t invest for 30 years in most of Florida, expert warns
Climate ignorance driving some ‘insane’ deals.
Codes and Standards | May 17, 2019
NIMBYism is the biggest multifamily construction barrier
National Apartment Assn. report assesses reasons for difficulty in creating more apartments.
Codes and Standards | May 17, 2019
Dept. of Energy to award up to $33.5 million for advanced construction R&D
Focus is on techniques to reduce energy bills.
Codes and Standards | May 16, 2019
Mixed reviews on targeted tax break for San Francisco neighborhood
“Twitter tax break” may have worsened some of the area’s problems.
Codes and Standards | May 15, 2019
OSHA inspections to increase, says Secretary of Labor
Newly hired inspectors getting up to speed.
Codes and Standards | May 14, 2019
Database records more than 1,360 K-12 school shooting incidents since 1970
Naval Postgraduate School program maps locations nationwide.
Codes and Standards | May 13, 2019
In many cities, downtown housing comes with a hefty premium
Urban core living costs hundreds of thousands more in largest U.S. cities.
Codes and Standards | May 7, 2019
San Francisco plan would require largest commercial buildings to use 100% renewable electricity
First in the U.S. mandate would be phased in from 2022 to 2030.
Codes and Standards | May 7, 2019
ABC says best practices can improve construction companies’ safety by 680%
Daily ‘toolbox safety talks’ were most effective safety measures.
