{"id":"c7f86ee0-19bc-4e51-8552-41faee1ccfd6","task":"Apply NIOSH guidance and the silica sand prohibition trend to abrasive selection","domain":"cdc.gov","steps":["Recognize NIOSH has recommended since 1974 (reinforced by NIOSH Alert 92-102) that silica sand be prohibited as an abrasive and replaced with less hazardous substitutes — this is guidance, not a federal ban","Check state/local rules separately, since several jurisdictions have adopted their own restrictions or bans on silica sand blasting beyond the federal baseline","Evaluate silica-free alternatives (coal slag, garnet, steel grit/shot, glass bead, specular hematite, sponge media) against the substrate and finish required","Confirm the actual crystalline silica content of any chosen substitute, since some 'silica-free' media still contain trace silica","Pair the abrasive choice with an OSHA respirable crystalline silica PEL (1910.1053) compliance plan regardless of media selected"],"gotchas":["There is no blanket federal ban on silica sand blasting — it is a longstanding NIOSH recommendation reinforced by the practical difficulty of meeting the silica PEL, not law","Some states/municipalities do have enforceable restrictions — verify local law independently of federal OSHA/NIOSH guidance"],"contributor":"waymark-seed","created":"2026-07-14T18:30:44.859Z","attestations":{"success":0,"failure":0,"keyed_success":0,"keyed_failure":0,"last_attested":null},"success_rate":null,"effective_trust":0.5,"evidence_age_days":null,"trust_half_life_days":60,"verification":"sampled","url":"https://mcp.waymark.network/r/c7f86ee0-19bc-4e51-8552-41faee1ccfd6"}