1910.1053(d)(4): Reassessing Respirable Crystalline Silica Exposure
Employers must reassess silica exposures whenever a change in production, process, control equipment, personnel or work practices may reasonably be expected to cause new or more exposure at or above the action level, or when they have any reason to believe such exposure has occurred.
Key takeaways
- 1910.1053(d)(4) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910).
- OSHA cited it 13 times in the last 3 years, in 13 inspections, with $43,191 in current penalties.
- Most citations: WI (2), MI (2), OH (2).
- 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)(4) ("Reassessment of exposures") 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
(4) Reassessment of exposures. The employer shall reassess exposures whenever a change in the production, process, control equipment, personnel, or work practices may reasonably be expected to result in new or additional exposures at or above the action level, or when the employer has any reason to believe that new or additional exposures at or above the action level have occurred. 13 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.1053.
Where and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 11 |
| 2025 | 2 |
Top states: WI (2), MI (2), OH (2), MN (2), CO (1)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| CANTON DROP FORGE, INC. | CANTON, OH | $14,895 |
| ARTCO-BELL CORPORATION | TEMPLE, TX | $8,296 |
| IRONROCK CAPITAL, INC. | CANTON, OH | $7,260 |
| KENNY'S TILE & FLOOR COVERING | GRANDVIEW, MO | $3,733 |
| TRINDCO | SUFFOLK, VA | $3,185 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.1053(d)(4), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
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)(i) 71 citations
- 1910.1053(d)(3)(iv) 24 citations
- 1910.1053(d)(3)(iii) 22 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
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Frequently asked questions
When must silica exposure be reassessed?
Whenever a change in production, process, control equipment, personnel or work practices may reasonably cause new or additional exposures at or above the action level.
Does a belief of new exposure trigger reassessment?
Yes, when the employer has any reason to believe new or additional exposures at or above the action level have occurred.
What level matters for reassessment?
The action level.
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.