Silica Rule Full Implementation Begins October 23

Words: Jeff BuczkiewiczOSHA will begin full implementation of their new silica rule on Monday, October 23, 2017. At that time, the soft roll out will end and companies will need to be in full compliance of the rule.

The MCAA is working with the Construction Industry Safety Coalition to track as many citations of the new rule as possible. We are working on developing a program that would give members access to a very short call with the silica coalition law firm to address any citations. It will be critically important that as this process begins that we track these citations.

The coalition has been very unhappy with clarity and direction on enforcement and feels full enforcement will begin a process of very different enforcement in different parts of the country which will create confusion. For that reason, we ask for your help in tracking these issues so we can address them at the national level. We are afraid that interpretation will be very broad and want to help you to make sure your OSHA officers are enforcing the rule the way it was intended.

If you get a citation, please contact the MCAA office at 800-536-2225 and ask to speak with Jeff. We will likely ask for a copy of the citation and move forward with any assistance we can provide. We appreciate in advance of your help with this and we hope you don’t have to act on this request.

We have included a link to OSHA enforcement guidance for your reference.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the MCAA office 800-536-2225 or visit www.masoncontractors.org/silica.
Color Trends Shaping Today’s Masonry Projects
July 2026

Homeowners today are coming into projects with a lot more opinions than they used to have. Between social media, home shows and contractor sites, most customers already have a look in mind before you even quote the job. For masonry contractors, having a

The New Equation for Masonry Profit: Predictable Hardware and Proven Data
July 2026

The masonry industry is built on tradition, but modern growth requires a shift from guesswork to absolute certainty. When we talk about the philosophy that you cannot improve what you do not measure, we are looking at the literal minutes and manpower lost

Owen Heimbach
July 2026

This month, the MCAA had the pleasure of speaking with SkillsUSA First Place Winner Owen Heimbach, a young mason just starting out whose enthusiasm for bricklaying is truly contagious. His passion for the craft was evident throughout our interview.

Backfill Your Foundation
July 2026

I’ve been noticing an uptick in a very specific kind of application lately, and once you see the pattern, you can’t unsee it. The résumé usually reads like a family photo album. “Started helping my dad when I was 15.” “Worked summers, then full time.” “R