New Hexavalent Chromium Standard:
Are you in compliance
By: John
Orawiec, Safety Specialist
The new OSHA standard modifying the exposure levels for
hexavalent chromium (CrVI) came into effect for
Indiana on the 26th of January. However, many
business owners and shop managers are asking themselves whether the new standard
affects their workplace. The following brief article should answer the basic
question asked above, “does the new hexavalent chromium standard affect me?”
Hexavalent
Chromium (CrVI)
hexavalent chromium—a key component used in electroplating
is most prevalent in stainless steel and to lesser extent galvanized steel. It
should also be noted that there are trace amounts of CrVI in many paints as
well.
Although stainless steel does not contain hexavalent
chromium (CrVI). Heat generating operations can generate airborne hex Cr such
as:
– Welding of stainless steel or chromium
coated material
– Weld overlay with stainless steelel
– Cutting or torch burning of stainless steel
or coated material
– Plasma cutting of stainless steel
– Forging
– Chrome plating
– Heat treatment
Also dust generating operations such as
– Abrasive blasting of stainless steels or
steel painted with Cr6+
containing material
– Grinding and polishing
OSHA considers hex chrome a
dangerous toxin that pollutes the environment and threatens the health of
workers exposed to it. Therefore,
if your business involves welding stainless/galvanized steel or grinding paint
off of metal, the new OSHA standard affects you. The key number to focus on in
regards to the new OSHA standard is the action level. The action is 2.5 ug/M3
(micrograms per cubic meter) over an 8 hour period. Basically, the amount of
CrVI that an employee is exposed to cannot exceed 2.5 ug/M3 in an 8 hour
period.
The current way to test for CrVI exposure is to have
employees who have the highest likely exposure to wear personal air pumps for an
entire day. The pumps are the size of a softball and weight a few pounds. A
clear plastic tube runs from the pump to the collar of the employee’s shirt.
The pump draws a measured quantity of air for 8 hours through a filter. The
sample is collected at the end of the day and sent to a lab where the 8 hour
time weighted average is calculated. Depending on the results a retest is
needed after 7 days, 3 months, or 6 months.
Safety Resources has already conducted a number of CrVI
tests for members of the Indiana Sheet Metal Association of North America.