1910.1053(d)(3)(i): Initial Silica Exposure Monitoring
Employers must do initial monitoring of each employee's 8-hour TWA silica exposure using personal breathing zone air samples that reflect each shift, job classification and work area. When several employees do the same tasks on the same shift and area, a representative fraction may be sampled, choosing those expected to have the highest exposure.
Key takeaways
- 1910.1053(d)(3)(i) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910).
- OSHA cited it 71 times in the last 3 years, in 71 inspections, with $131,204 in current penalties.
- Most citations: OH (10), NC (7), MI (6).
- Related part: 1910.1053(d) Exposure assessment (548 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.1053(d)(3)(i) is one requirement inside 1910.1053 Respirable crystalline silica, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910). The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(i) The employer shall perform initial monitoring to assess the 8-hour TWA exposure for each employee on the basis of one or more personal breathing zone air samples that reflect the exposures of employees on each shift, for each job classification, in each work area. Where several employees perform the same tasks on the same shift and in the same work area, the employer may sample a representative fraction of these employees in order to meet this requirement. In representative sampling, the employer shall sample the employee(s) who are expected to have the highest exposure to respirable crystalline silica. 71 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.1053.
Where and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 28 |
| 2025 | 25 |
| 2026 | 14 |
Top states: OH (10), NC (7), MI (6), FL (6), GA (5)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| GENERAL SHALE BRICK, INC. | WATSONTOWN, PA | $16,550 |
| SUMMIT SEALANTS, INC. | SEDALIA, CO | $8,511 |
| TEXAS MATERIALS GROUP INC. | BAYTOWN, TX | $6,452 |
| BLACK BAY VENTURES VI, LLC | PALMER, MA | $6,312 |
| BUCKEYE TRAILER AND FAB. CO. | LEETONIA, OH | $5,958 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.1053(d)(3)(i), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.1053(d)(3)(i).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.1053(d) Exposure assessment 548 citations
- 1910.1053(d)(1) General 399 citations
- 1910.1053(d)(3) Scheduled monitoring option 120 citations
- 1910.1053(d)(3)(iv) 24 citations
- 1910.1053(d)(3)(iii) 22 citations
- 1910.1053(d)(4) Reassessment of exposures 13 citations
- 1910.1053(d)(6) Employee notification of assessment results 11 citations
- 1910.1053(d)(6)(ii) 4 citations
- 1910.1053(d)(2) Performance option 4 citations
Get your crew competent
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Frequently asked questions
What does initial silica monitoring measure?
The 8-hour TWA exposure for each employee, using personal breathing zone air samples.
Must every worker be sampled?
Not always. When several employees perform the same tasks on the same shift and work area, a representative fraction may be sampled.
Who is sampled in representative sampling?
The employees expected to have the highest exposure to respirable crystalline silica.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.1053 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-21
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.