Silica Exposure Control Plan Template & Generator
Generate a sample silica exposure control plan for your blasting operation. Customized with your company info. Free PDF download.
Updated November 2026
This tool generates guidance documents only. Not a substitute for professional safety consultation. Review with a qualified professional before use.
What’s included in the plan
- Competent person designation
- Task descriptions (abrasive blasting operations)
- Engineering controls (ventilation, containment, wet methods)
- Respiratory protection (Type CE supplied-air hoods, Grade D air)
- Housekeeping procedures (HEPA vacuuming, wet sweeping)
- Procedures to restrict access to work areas
- Medical surveillance program
- Employee training requirements
Regulatory references
- Written ECP requirement: OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1153(g)
- Alternative Exposure Control: 1926.1153(d), required when task is not on Table 1; for blasting, (d)(3)(ii) points to 29 CFR 1926.57
- Respiratory protection program: 29 CFR 1910.134(c), via 1926.1153(e)(2)
- Abrasive-blasting respirators: 29 CFR 1926.57(f)(5)(ii)
- Type CE abrasive-blast respirator: 42 CFR 84.130(f) (Part 84, Subpart J)
- Grade D breathing air: 29 CFR 1910.134(i)(1)(ii) (CGA G-7.1); compressor CO/high-temperature alarm: 1910.134(i)(7)
- Medical surveillance: 1926.1153(h), for employees who wear a respirator 30 or more days per year
- Recordkeeping: 1926.1153(j) and 29 CFR 1910.1020
This tool is for guidance only. BlastBid is not a safety consultant, law firm, or OSHA-authorized trainer. The output is a starting template. Have it reviewed by a qualified safety professional before relying on it for compliance.
Common questions
What is a silica exposure control plan?
A written plan required by OSHA standard 1926.1153(g) for construction employers whose workers are, or could be, exposed to respirable crystalline silica at or above the action level (25 µg/m³). The standard applies unless exposure will stay below that level under any foreseeable conditions (1926.1153(a)). The plan describes the tasks that involve silica exposure, the controls and respiratory protection for each task, housekeeping, and procedures to restrict access to work areas.
Do I need a silica exposure control plan for sandblasting?
Yes. OSHA 1926.1153(g) requires a written exposure control plan when employees can be exposed to respirable crystalline silica. Abrasive blasting is not one of the listed Table 1 tasks, so blasting contractors normally use the Alternative Exposure Control method in 1926.1153(d), backed by objective data or air monitoring.
What goes in a silica exposure control plan?
OSHA 1926.1153(g)(1) requires four elements: a description of tasks involving silica; the engineering controls, work practices, and respiratory protection used for each task; the housekeeping measures used to limit silica dust; and the procedures used to restrict access to work areas. Medical surveillance is required separately under 1926.1153(h), not as part of the written plan.
What is the Alternative Exposure Control method?
Under 1926.1153(d), employers assess exposure using objective data, the performance option, or scheduled personal air monitoring. For abrasive blasting, that exposure assessment is the compliance path when Table 1 does not apply or is not fully implemented.
Is this template OSHA-approved?
No. OSHA does not approve or endorse third-party templates. This generator produces a starting-point document based on the requirements of 1926.1153(g). You should review the plan with a qualified safety professional and customize it for your specific operations before relying on it for compliance.
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