On Thursday, new rules were finalized by the Labor Department to minimize construction worker's exposure to silica dust. The dust, which is common in many construction materials, can cause lung disease and increase cancer risks when inhaled over time. While industry employer groups are calling the move costly, time-consuming, and irrelevant, it has put workers at ease. According to the Labor Department, about 2.3 million U.S laborers are exposed to silica dust while working.
See "Workers Breathe Easier Over Silica Dust Rules as Construction Industry Winces", Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz, Chicago Tribune, March 25, 2016