A Federal Appeals Court upheld OSHA’s newest silica dust rule by throwing out the case by North America’s Building Trade Unions on December 22, 2017. The new rule, which came into effect on September 23, 2017, cut the permissible exposure limit for employees working in the construction industry to around 20 percent of what acceptable in the past.

The industry group also challenged whether the new changes cut health risks and whether the changes were economically and technologically viable for the involved industries. All the petitions were thrown out and the courts directed OSHA to review the decision not to include medical removal protections as part of the rule.

All the organizations that champion for worker safety supported the decision by the Federal Appeals Court.

After the decision, the industry groups advised the companies in the affected fields to adhere to the new rule.