If an employer is utilizing water to control dust generated by a crushing machine, and has consistent air monitoring results or objective data demonstrating that exposures are under the AL of 25 μg/m3 as an 8-hour TWA (and thus below the PEL), is the employer required to put operators in ventilated booths or remote control stations, as specified in the relevant entry on Table 1?

No. Employers performing tasks listed on Table 1 can choose to follow alternative exposure control methods in paragraph (d) instead of implementing the controls specified on Table 1. The alternative exposure control methods approach involves assessing employees’ silica exposures and limiting exposures to the PEL of 50 μg/m3 as an 8-hour TWA by following the hierarchy of controls. See 29 C.F.R. § 1926.1153(d).