Dive summary:

Permissible levels of exposure to silica dust from construction activities, especially from activities that include sawing, drilling, cutting and grinding stone materials, including concrete, have been unchanged since the early 1970s.

The American Subcontractors Association is expecting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to be out by July 31 with new rules to reduce exposure limits and control exposure with steps such as wet cutting that holds down dust.

Exposure to silica crystals small enough to be breathed in is a risk for 1.7 million workers every year, OSHA calculates, and the downside of excessive exposure is an incurable lung disease called silicosis.

From the article:

Contractors rarely take news of new regulations with a smile, but in this case regulations will work to improve worker safety and health. ...