Hexavalent Chromium OSHA Standard

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Hexavalent Chromium OSHA Standard
Capt Michael Moran Brooks City-Base, TX
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Overview

• Health effects of hexavalent chromium (Cr6)
• OSHA PEL
• Compliance schedule
• Monitoring requirements
• Employee Training
• Medical Surveillance
• Engineering Controls Work practices

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Health Effects

• Lung Cancer
• Epidemiology (human data) and animal studies link
  chromate exposure to lung cancer
• Asthma
• Airway sensitizer, not all become sensitized
• Nasal epithelia damage
• Skin damage
• (Ulcers, dermatitis, allergic reactions, chrome
  hole)

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New OSHA PEL

• Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)
• 8-hr TWA of 5 mg/m3 as Cr6
• Action Level (AL)
• 8-hr TWA of 2.5 mg/m3 as Cr6
• ACGIH TLV
• 0.5 mg/m3 (Strontium Chromate as Cr)

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Compliance Schedule

• Effective Date 30 May, 2006
• November 27, 2006
• All requirements except engineering controls
• Change rooms
• Washing facilities
• Sampling
• May 31, 2010
• Engineering controls

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Monitoring FrequencyOption 1, Scheduled

• 8-Hr TWA lt Action Level
• No additional monitoring required
• Action Level lt 8-Hr TWA lt PEL
• Monitoring required every 6 months
• PEL lt 8-Hr TWA
• Monitoring required every 3 months

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Monitoring FrequencyOption 2, Performance-based

• Historical data
• Objective data
• Industry-wide surveys, calculations
• Initial/Periodic Monitoring
• Must ACCURATELY characterize exposure

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Employee Information

• Hazcom
• Demonstrate knowledge of the purpose and
  description of medical surveillance program

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Medical Surveillance

• Employees who require surveillance
• Exposed above action level for 30 or more days/yr
• Shows signs /symptoms of adverse health effects
  associated with Cr6 exposure
• Exposed during emergency

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Medical Surveillance

• Surveillance Frequency
• Within 30 days of after initial assignment
• Annually
• Within 30 days of written medical opinion
• Shows signs/symptoms of exposure
• Within 30 days of exposure from emergency
• At termination of employment

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Engineering Controls and Work Practices

• New standard requires engineering controls and
  work practices to reduce exposures below PEL
• Eliminate need for respiratory protection
• Aerospace Exception (painting aircraft)
• Engineering controls work practices must reduce
  exposure lt 25 mg/m3

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Mean Cr(VI) Exposures during Aircraft Corrosion
Control(Shaw, Cannon, Holloman, Nellis, Hill,
Robins, Tinker, McChord)
8-hr TWA (mg/m3)
25 mg/m3
5 mg/m3
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Engineering Controls and Work Practices

• Ventilation
• Filter change out schedules
• Performance assessments
• Magnahelic Gauges
• Quarterly Vent Surveys
• Smoke generator

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Engineering Controls and Work Practices

• Sanding
• Use ventilated sander w/ HEPA vacuum
• Keep surface of sander as flat as possible
• Reduce the depth of sanding
• Avoid proximity of co-workers

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Engineering Controls and Work Practices

• Dust Removal
• Use HEPA vacuum to remove dust from aircraft
• Use HEPA vacuum to remove dust from hangar floor
• Wipe aircraft twice with 11 isopropyl
  alcohol/water mixture

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Engineering Controls and Work Practices

• Priming
• Proper body position
• Keep side or back to the direction of airflow
• Start priming from the end of the aircraft
  nearest the exhaust
• Minimize of painters (Ideally 1 person)
• Avoid mirror painting
• Ensure air pressures meet manufacturers
  recommendations
• Wall, pressure pot and gun air cap

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Maximum Cr(VI) Exposures Before After Modified
Procedures (Shaw AFB)
25 mg/m3
8-hr TWA (mg/m3)
5 mg/m3
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Maximum Cr(VI) Exposures Before After Modified
Procedures (Cannon AFB)
25 mg/m3
8-hr TWA (mg/m3)
5 mg/m3
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Conclusion

• Compliance is a joint effort
• Partnership with Bioenvironmental Engineering
  Corrosion Control Community
• Technical Support _at_ AFIOH
• Sharing information (successes and failures)

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Questions