Guidance UpdateLiveGuidance Update
CDC/NIOSH updates OSHA/NIOSH Hazard Alert on silica exposure during countertop manufacturing/finishing/installation (NIOSH Pub. 2026-101), superseding NIOSH 2015-106
NIOSHCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)US
Announced
Feb 26, 2026
Description
CDC/NIOSH issued an updated joint OSHA/NIOSH Hazard Alert addressing worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica during countertop manufacturing, finishing, and installation. The guidance explicitly states it supersedes NIOSH Publication 2015-106 and provides updated recommended controls and program measures intended to help employers keep exposures below OSHA’s permissible exposure limit (PEL). This update is compliance-relevant for EHS teams managing silica exposure controls, respiratory protection, and work practice requirements in stone countertop operations.