OMA Director Testifies on Silica Rule

Dave Johnson, CEO of Summitville Tiles, Inc., and longtime director of the OMA, testified before the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration this week, asking for a repeal of the pending “silica rule” promulgated by the Obama administration. Johnson is working in conjunction with the effort of the National Association of Manufacturers on this regulatory overreach.

Johnson testified: “The shale and clay that are in use in our industry have a molecular structure belonging to minerals known as aluminosilicates … with only about 15% of their body composition containing crystalline (or free) silica.

“This particular molecular structure is NOT known to cause silicosis, as validated by years of the scientific research and documentation that the structural clay products industry has undertaken …

“In fact, the aluminosilicate compound that comprises 85% of our shale and clay body is essentially identical to the clay body composition which is used in the “Kitty Litter” industry, an industry which has, in fact, received an exemption from the ‘Silica Rule’ under consideration here.”

“(P)lease note,” he said, “that we have not had a single case of silicosis at Summitville Tiles in our 105 years in business.” 8/23/2017