Eliminate

Does your facility have hexavalent chromium dust, mist, or fumes are in the air? Don’t say “no” too quickly! The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued more stringent safety and health rules for businesses to comply with OSHA’s new hexavalent chromium, or Cr(VI), requirements. The new standards reduce the permissible exposure limits by more than 90 percent. To protect your workers, reduce your liability and remain in compliance, you need to be familiar with these new OSHA standards and the causes and effects of chromium dust.

Many production processes at industrial companies, construction companies and shipyards result in chromium dust particles being released into the air. Hexavalent chromium compounds are widely used in the chemical industry as ingredients and catalysts in pigments for dyes, paints, inks, and plastics; in chromates added as anti-corrosive agents to paints, primers, and other surface coatings; and in chromic acid electroplating. Cr(VI) can also be produced when welding on stainless steel or chromium painted surfaces.

You may not even be aware of this health hazard in your facility because you may not be directly using chromium hexavalent compounds in your production. But if you do contract work on materials, parts and components provided to you by other companies then you might be producing chromium hexavalent dust particles thus falling under the new and more rigorous OSHA guidelines.

Hexavalent chromium dust, mist or fumes can contaminate hands, clothing, beards, food and beverages and the long-term health effects can be serious. The primary means of human exposure to hexavalent chromium and chromate salts are inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact. Hexavalent chromium is considered a potential lung carcinogen and long-term health effects can include: lung cancer; asthma, nasal ulceration and even perforation of the septum (the wall separating the nasal passages), as well as skin dermatitis and ulcerations. Affected organs can include the respiratory system, liver, kidneys, eyes and skin. For your company, this is a hazard and a potential liability that needs to be addressed.

The preferred approach to managing this air quality hazard is to use engineering controls such as proper ventilation or equipment and process modification. Air Purification, Inc. can help your company meet and exceed the new OSHA rules. Please contact us today to discuss this issue and to learn methods of indoor air quality improvement, total facility ambient air filtration, source capture methods, and blow off decontamination to remove airborne contaminants at the source.

Recommended Links:
Hexavalent Chromium Possible Solutions.
OSHA Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Hexavalent Chromium Standards (63 page PDF) .
OSHA Safety and Health Topics Hexavalent Chromium.