Does the standard prohibit an employer from using compressed air as part of a task not related to cleaning clothing or surfaces?

No. The standard generally prohibits the use of compressed air “to clean clothing or surfaces” where that activity can contribute to employee silica exposures. 29 C.F.R. § 1926.1153(f)(2). It does not prohibit the use of compressed air for purposes other than cleaning clothing or surfaces,e.g., for operating a pneumatic tool. Employers may also use compressed air for housekeeping when the compressed air is used in conjunction with a ventilation system that effectively captures the dust cloud created by the compressed air, or if no alternative method for cleaning clothes or surfaces is feasible. See 29 C.F.R. § 1926.1153(f)(2)(i), (ii). When the standard permits the use of compressed air, and the use of compressed air could foreseeably result in employee exposures to silica at or above the AL, the employer must comply with exposure control requirements and other applicable provisions of the standard.