OSHA General Industry Standards (29 CFR Part 1910) 1910.1026: 1910.1026 Chromium (VI)

Applies to occupational exposure to chromium (VI) in all forms and compounds in general industry, except EPA-regulated pesticide application (such as wood preservative treatment), portland cement, and materials or processes that objective data show cannot release chromium (VI) at or above 0.5 µg/m3 as an 8-hour TWA under any expected conditions. PEL: 5 µg/m3 as an 8-hour TWA; action level 2.5 µg/m3 as an 8-hour TWA; no STEL. Exposure determination for each exposed employee by the scheduled monitoring option (initial personal breathing zone samples per shift, job classification and work area, sampling the highest-exposed where representative; stop if below the action level; at least every six months at or above the action level; at least every three months above the PEL; stop when a result below the action level is confirmed by another at least seven days later; additional monitoring after process, material, equipment, personnel, practice or control changes) or the performance-oriented option (any combination of air monitoring, historical monitoring data from before May 30, 2006, or objective data). Accuracy plus or minus 25 percent at 95 percent confidence at or above the action level. Written notification within 15 work days, describing corrective action if above the PEL. Employees may observe monitoring. Regulated areas where exposure exceeds or may exceed the PEL, demarcated and limited to authorized persons. Methods of compliance: engineering and work practice controls to the PEL unless infeasible, supplemented by respirators; for painting aircraft or large aircraft parts in aerospace, controls to 25 µg/m3 then respirators to reach the PEL; controls not required for a process that exceeds the PEL on fewer than 30 days in 12 consecutive months; no job rotation. Respirators under a 1910.134 program during control installation, infeasible or insufficient controls, exposures above the PEL on fewer than 30 days per year where controls are not used, and emergencies. Protective clothing and equipment where skin or eye contact is likely, removed at shift end or task completion, kept on site except for authorized launderers, transported in sealed impermeable labelled containers, no blowing or shaking, and launderers informed of hazards. Hygiene: change rooms with separate storage, washing facilities capable of removing chromium (VI), hand and face washing at shift end and before eating, drinking, smoking or toilet use, clean eating areas, and no eating, drinking, smoking, chewing or cosmetics in regulated areas or where skin or eye contact occurs. Housekeeping: surfaces free as practicable, prompt spill clean-up, HEPA vacuuming preferred, dry shoveling, sweeping or brushing only where HEPA methods failed, compressed air only with capture ventilation or where no alternative is feasible, waste in sealed impermeable labelled containers. Medical surveillance for employees at or above the action level 30 or more days a year, with symptoms, or exposed in an emergency: exam within 30 days of initial assignment (unless examined in the last twelve months), annually, within 30 days of a PLHCP recommendation or an emergency, on symptoms, and at termination unless examined in the prior six months; contents are a history focused on chromium (VI) exposure, respiratory dysfunction, asthma, dermatitis, skin ulceration, nasal septum perforation and smoking, plus examination of skin and respiratory tract; PLHCP written opinion within 30 days, copied to the employee within two weeks. Hazard communication (cancer, eye irritation, skin sensitization) and training so employees can demonstrate knowledge of the section and the medical surveillance program. Records of air monitoring, historical data, objective data and medical surveillance kept and made available per 1910.1020. Compliance dates (November 27, 2006, May 30, 2007, engineering controls by May 31, 2010, or December 31, 2008 for parties to the Appendix A settlement agreement for surface and metal finishing job shops) have passed.