ANNOUNCEMENT: OSHA issues 5 micrograms of Cr(VI) per cubic meter of air as the new 8-hour PEL value.

OSHA will publish a final standard for occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium in the Feb. ++++++, Federal Register. The standard covers occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in general industry, construction and shipyards.

The new standard lowers OSHA's permissible exposure limit (PEL) for hexavalent chromium, and for all Cr(VI) compounds, from 52 to 5 micrograms of Cr(VI) per cubic meter of air as an 8-hour time- weighted average. The standard also includes provisions relating to preferred methods for controlling exposure, respiratory protection, protective work clothing and equipment, hygiene areas and practices, medical surveillance, hazard communication and recordkeeping.

Practical and Effective Requirements. The new standard requires covered industries to achieve the PEL through engineering and work practice controls to the extent that is technologically feasible. Additional provisions cover exposure determinations, respiratory protection, protective work clothing and equipment, medical surveillance and communication of hazards.

Supplemental Provision for Aerospace Painting. The new standard recognizes that, given available technology, the lowest level employers involved in aerospace painting operations of whole aircraft or large aircraft parts can reach through feasible engineering and work practice controls is 25 µg/mĒ. For these types of aerospace painting, OSHA requires the use of engineering and work practice controls to reduce exposures to 25 µg/mĒ, and allows the supplemental use of respirators to be used to achieve the PEL.

For further details, including effective compliance dates, see
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=12038

For NIOSH Safety and Health Topic: Hexavalent Chromium, see http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hexchrom/