Home Indoor Air Crystalline Silica

Silica Testing Services

Silica Dust
Is Invisible.
Silicosis Isn’t.

OSHA compliance sampling · Indoor air quality · Bulk material analysis. AIHA-LAP accredited. Results accepted by OSHA and NJ DEP in 3–5 business days.

AIHA-LAP Accredited NIOSH Methods OSHA Compliant NJ NELAP
Schedule Sampling → Get a Free Quote
The Hazard

Why Silica Is Dangerous.

It’s not the dust you can see that kills — it’s the fine respirable fraction you can’t detect. There is no cure for silicosis. Exposure is prevented, not treated.

There is no cure for silicosis. Exposure is prevented, not treated. IRIS testing confirms whether exposure is within regulatory limits before irreversible damage occurs.

Health Effects of Crystalline Silica Exposure

  • Silicosis Irreversible scarring of the lungs — acute, accelerated, or chronic form depending on exposure duration and intensity
  • Lung Cancer IARC Group 1 carcinogen. Crystalline silica inhaled from occupational sources is a confirmed cause of lung cancer
  • COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from cumulative silica exposure — progressive and debilitating
  • Kidney Disease Emerging evidence links occupational silica exposure to renal dysfunction and impaired kidney function

Where Crystalline Silica Is Generated

Concrete cutting & sawing Concrete · masonry
Jackhammering & drilling Concrete · stone · rock
Tuck-pointing & grinding Mortar · brick
Demolition & wrecking Drywall · concrete · masonry
Abrasive blasting Sand · mineral abrasives
HVAC recirculation Occupied buildings near active construction
Service Menu

Three Ways IRIS Tests for Silica.

Each test answers a different question. Know which one you need before you order.

OSHA Personal Breathing Zone (PBZ)

NIOSH 7500 / 7602 (IR)
Who
Contractors · Employers · EHS Consultants
Trigger
OSHA Table 1 tasks: sawing, drilling, jackhammering, blasting, tuck-pointing
Limit
OSHA PEL: 50 µg/m³
Action Level: 25 µg/m³ (8-hr TWA)
Turnaround
3–5 business days

Ambient / Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

NIOSH 7602 (IR) · EPA PM&sub2;.&sub5; / PM&sub1;&sub0; reference
Who
Property Managers · School Districts · Building Owners
Trigger
Adjacent demolition, HVAC dust pull-in, or occupant air quality complaints
Limit
NIOSH REL: 0.05 mg/m³
EPA NAAQS PM&sub2;.&sub5;/PM&sub1;&sub0; benchmarks
Turnaround
3–5 business days

Bulk Material Analysis

NIOSH 9002 / EPA 600
Who
Demolition Crews · Industrial Hygienists · EHS Consultants
Trigger
Pre-demolition characterization, dust or debris of unknown silica content
Result
Silica % content by weight — classifies hazard before work begins
Turnaround
3–5 business days

Not sure which test applies? Contact us at the quote form — one conversation covers all three.

Decision Guide

Which Test Is Right for Your Situation?

Match your role and trigger to the correct sampling type.

Your workers are cutting, drilling, or jackhammering concrete or masonry OSHA 1926.1153 Table 1 — employer must sample or apply engineering controls; PEL 50 µg/m³
OSHA PBZ Sampling
You’re an IH or EHS consultant documenting worker exposure for compliance records Personal breathing zone samples are the required method for exposure assessment under OSHA 1926.1153
OSHA PBZ Sampling
Occupied building adjacent to demolition or renovation — occupant complaints or IAQ concern Area sampling confirms whether silica is entering occupied spaces via HVAC or air infiltration
Ambient / IAQ Sampling
You need to know the silica content of a material before work begins NIOSH 9002/EPA 600 — quantifies silica % in dust, debris, or bulk material before workers disturb it
Bulk Material Analysis
Pre-demolition site assessment or post-work clearance air confirmation Bulk analysis characterizes the hazard; PBZ sampling documents worker exposure during and after the work
PBZ + Bulk (Combo)

Questions about OSHA Table 1 tasks or sampling strategy? Contact us — we work with IHs daily.

Regulatory Reference

Limits, Methods & Who We Serve.

The numbers that matter — and the professionals who rely on them.

Regulatory Exposure Limits — Crystalline Silica

OSHA PEL 8-hr TWA — legal maximum 50 µg/m³
OSHA AL Action Level — triggers medical surveillance 25 µg/m³
NIOSH REL Recommended — same as 50 µg/m³ 0.05 mg/m³
ACGIH TLV Most protective — industry best practice 0.025 mg/m³
EPA NAAQS Annual mean PM&sub2;.&sub5; — IAQ reference 12 µg/m³

Methods: NIOSH 7602 (IR) — air filters, screening / confirmatory · NIOSH 9002 / EPA 600 — bulk material characterization

Who Sends Us Samples

GCs & Subcontractors OSHA Table 1 tasks: concrete cutting, jackhammering, tuck-pointing
Property Managers Occupied buildings adjacent to demolition or renovation work
Industrial Hygienists PBZ and area sampling for third-party compliance documentation
Demolition Crews Pre-demo bulk analysis and post-work clearance air sampling
Masonry Contractors Grinding, cutting, drilling — highest silica exposure tasks
EHS Consultants Full silica exposure assessment programs for corporate clients
Process

How It Works

From sampling question to defensible analytical report.

01

Contact & Confirm

Tell us your task type, matrix, and regulatory requirement. We confirm the right method, filter media, and sampling duration in one reply.

Send a Message →
02

Collect Samples

Personal samples clipped to worker’s lapel (PBZ) or positioned in occupied areas (IAQ). Bulk material collected from source. Drop off Mon–Fri before 4 PM ET.

03

NIOSH Lab Analysis

Samples analyzed by NIOSH 7602 (IR) or NIOSH 9002/EPA 600 under AIHA-LAP accreditation. Chain of custody maintained throughout.

04

Report + COC

Certified analytical report, COC, and PDF delivered by email. 3–5 business days standard. Format accepted for OSHA and regulatory submissions.

Sample drop-off: 2333 US-22 West, Union, NJ 07083 · Mon–Fri before 4:00 PM ET

AIHA-LAP Accredited · NIOSH Methods · OSHA Compliant

Schedule Your Silica Sampling Today.

OSHA compliance · Indoor air quality · Bulk material analysis. Results in 3–5 business days. Reports accepted by OSHA and NJ DEP.

Schedule Sampling → Get a Free Quote
AIHA-LAP Accredited NIOSH Methods OSHA Compliant NJ NELAP Certified