Company committed to improving Occupational Health and Safety using state-of-the-art instruments at its AIHA accredited Colorado lab
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – October 30, 2025 – Pace® Analytical Services, a regulatory testing and analytical laboratory division of Pace®, a Science and Technology Company, announces that it now offers Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) testing and analysis. This initiative supports mines and industrial clients as they prepare to comply with the new Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) rule, which significantly lowers permissible exposure limits for RCS and introduces rigorous new testing requirements. Coal mine compliance was to be completed by August 2025, while metal and nonmetal (MNM) mines have until April 8, 2026.
Crystalline silica is a widespread mineral used historically for tools and building, and now in advanced glass, ceramics, electronics, and aerospace materials. While general exposure is low risk, workers in construction, sandblasting, and mining may face higher risks of silicosis, lung cancer, and other serious respiratory diseases from inhalation. OSHA and MSHA regulate and mandate RCS testing in workplaces to protect at-risk employees through monitoring and measuring fine, airborne silica particles.
“Through advanced x-ray diffraction (XRD) technology, our team can precisely quantify crystalline silica in both air and bulk samples,” noted Rob DeMalo, Vice President of Operations for Pace® Building Sciences. “By following OSHA ID-142 and NIOSH 7500 protocols, we accurately measure the three key silica polymorphs—alpha quartz (α-alpha), cristobalite, and tridymite—across diverse sample types. This rigorous approach ensures our clients receive highly reliable data for critical health and safety decisions.” This analytical approach is primarily utilized for air samples collected from employee breathing zones and broader work site areas, ensuring comprehensive environmental monitoring.
Pace® provides RCS testing and analysis from its AIHA-IHLAP accredited Colorado facility which also offers advanced mineral identification services via X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), clay and petrography as well as NVLAP accredited asbestos analysis. Pace® is a portfolio company of Leonard Green & Partners and Los Angeles-based Aurora Capital Partners.
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About Pace® Building Sciences
Pace® makes the world a safer, healthier place. Pace® People are committed to promoting environmental and public safety by advancing the science of microbiology for hospitals, pharmacies, water treatment providers, consultants, and more. Through our network of in-house labs, we provide sample analysis for bacteria and fungi for regulatory compliance and in adherence to industry standards such as USP 797.