1. 29 CFR 1910.1027
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH STANDARDS
CADMIUM
This training has been tailored to fit
the needs of the Crew Chiefs
2. • Introduction
• Exposure Limit
• Methods of Compliance
• How to Protect Yourself
• Medical Surveillance
OVERVIEW
3. Initial training is required prior to working with cadmium, whenever a
change occurs to a process containing cadmium and at least annually
thereafter
Record all shop-specific training on your AF Form 55 or equivalent
Training is required for all
occupational exposure to cadmium
INTRODUCTION
4. This standard applies to all occupational exposures to cadmium
Human exposure to cadmium occurs through dusts, fumes, or mists
containing cadmium
• Inhaled, ingested, and absorbed through the skin
• Via contaminated hands, food, water, cigarettes, and clothing
Cadmium is distributed throughout the body and accumulates in the
kidneys, damages the respiratory system, and can lead to bone disease
INTRODUCTION
5. Naturally occurring highly toxic metal
Usually combined with other elements
Common uses:
• Rechargeable batteries
• Solar cells (solar energy panels)
• Alloys (plating)
• Coatings (electroplating)
• Plastic stabilizers
• Pigments
WHAT IS CADMIUM?
INTRODUCTION
6. • Maintenance of Aircraft Brakes, including
contact with brake dust
WHERE CAN EXPOSURES OCCUR?
Crew Chief Operations that can generate cadmium exposure include:
INTRODUCTION
7. If cadmium exposure is a possibility in your job, it is important that you understand
how exposure occurs
• Inhaling cadmium mist, fumes, or dust
• Ingesting cadmium mist or dust
• Coming in contact with cadmium mist or dust
Steps to lower your chances of being exposed
WHERE CAN EXPOSURES OCCUR?
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INTRODUCTION
8. The permissible exposure limit, or PEL, is 5 micrograms per cubic meter
(5 µg/m³)
• Over the course of any 8-hour work shift, the average airborne exposure to
cadmium cannot exceed 5 µg/m³
The action level, or AL, is 2.5 µg/m³
• The AL triggers additional monitoring requirements
EXPOSURE LIMIT
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The PEL and AL are both measures of concentration in the air, and are used
to protect the worker from inhalation hazards
9. Cadmium can cause impairment and disease that is:
• Short term - acute
• Within days of exposure
• Severe exposure
• 1-10 hours before onset of symptoms
• 24 hours before pulmonary edema
• Potentially fatal
• Long term – chronic
• Years after exposure with many potential symptoms
Acute Symptoms and Diseases
Irritation of Upper Respiratory Tract
Constriction of the Throat
Metallic Taste
Cough
Shortness of Breath
Chest Pain
Flu-like Symptoms (weakness, fever, etc.)
Chronic Symptoms and Diseases
Kidney Damage
Lung Cancer
Prostate Cancer
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EXPOSURE LIMIT
10. Exposure monitoring will be conducted on you, or someone conducting
the same work, to determine your exposure to cadmium
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Air sampling results must be provided to
you within 15 working days of employer
receiving results
• If air monitoring is less than AL:
• No further action
• If air monitoring is equal to or above AL:
• Monitoring should be repeated every six
months
EXPOSURE LIMIT
Exposure level for Crew Chief personnel requires assessment. Please contact Bioenvironmental
Engineering at 761-6244 prior to maintenance on the brake system, including tire change out
11. ROUTES OF ENTRY
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Cadmium can enter the body through:
• Inhalation (breathe)
• Ingestion (swallow)
It is critically important that you recognize
potential pathways and understand the
measures you can take to protect yourself
It does not matter if a person breathes-in
or swallows, the health effects can be
serious.
EXPOSURE LIMIT
12. Which control methods should you use to eliminate or minimize
exposure to cadmium while performing your work?
METHODS OF COMPLIANCE
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Controls include:
• Elimination or substitution of the cadmium source
• Minimize exposure through engineering controls
• Good work practices and training
• Use personal protective clothing and respirators
Employers must use engineering and work practice controls as the primary means to
reduce and maintain employee cadmium exposures to or below the PEL
13. Engineering and work practice controls are the primary means used to
reduce exposure.
ENGINEERING CONTROLS
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Ventilation is used to control
exposure
Ventilation measurements
demonstrate the effectiveness of
the system
• They shall be made within 5
working days of any change in
production, process, or control
Recirculated air must be filtered
and monitored
METHODS OF COMPLIANCE
14. WORK PRACTICE CONTROLS
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Some fundamental work practices are:
• Good housekeeping
• Appropriate personal hygiene practices
• Periodic inspection and maintenance of process and control equipment
• Proper procedures to perform a task
• Appropriate supervision to ensure that the proper procedures are
followed
If engineering and work practice controls do not sufficiently reduce
inhalation exposure, then appropriate respirators must be used to further
reduce employee exposure to the PEL or below
METHODS OF COMPLIANCE
15. WRITTEN COMPLIANCE PROGRAM
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Operational description
Compliance plan
Technology
Report
Air monitoring
Compliance schedule
Administrative control
Other
The written compliance program must
include, at a minimum:
Written programs must be:
• Written when PEL is exceeded
• Revised and updated at least
annually
Emergency actions
METHODS OF COMPLIANCE
16. WARNING SIGNS/ LABELS
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Where the PEL is exceeded,
warning signs must be
posted with:
METHODS OF COMPLIANCE
Shipping and
storage containers
containing cadmium
must be labeled
with:
17. Your workplace supervisor will ensure you receive additional work area specific
training in the following topic areas to minimize your exposure to cadmium:
• Work Area Specific HAZCOM Training
• Respiratory Protection Program (if required)
• Adherence to local industrial housekeeping and hygiene
procedures
• PPE when performing work
• Regulated Areas (if required)
• Communicate exposure symptoms to your
supervisor immediately
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
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It is important that workers recognize the harmful health effects associated with
cadmium exposure and understand the measures they can take to protect
themselves
18. RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
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When controls cannot reduce employee exposure to cadmium below the PEL,
employers must provide employees with respirators.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
The respiratory protection program must
comply with 29 CFR 1910.134
Respirators must be:
• Full facepiece when eye irritation is a
concern
• HEPA-filtered
• Powered air-purifying when requested by
employee
19. When a respiratory protection program is established, respirators must
be used when:
• Implementing controls when levels exceed PEL
• The PEL may or will be exceeded
• In a regulated area
• Controls are NOT sufficient to reduce the exposure below the PEL
• The action level is exceeded, and the employee requests a respirator
• Emergencies
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
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HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
20. If an employee is exposed to cadmium at or above the PEL, or where skin
or eye irritation can result from cadmium exposure, PPE must be used
Examples of appropriate PPE may include:
• Coveralls
• Gloves
• Head coverings
• Boots or foot coverings
• Face shields
• Vented goggles
PPE shall be cleaned and/or replaced as needed
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
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HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
NOTE: Bioenvironmental Engineering (BE) Routine Assessment Letters
provide information on PPE required for health protection
21. PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
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Know precisely what protection is needed for each job task:
• Certain tasks may only require gloves while others may require a higher
level of protection
• Additional training will be provided on how to properly use and care for
PPE
• If you must change out of your street clothes to use protective clothing
and equipment, you are required to use a change room
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
22. HYGIENE AREAS AND PRACTICES
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• Employees exposed to cadmium above the PEL
must shower at the end of the work shift
• Employees required to shower are NOT permitted
to leave the workplace wearing any clothing or
equipment worn during the work shift
• Employees must remove all protective work
clothing and equipment at the end of the shift in a
changing area designated for this purpose, taking
care not to shake off or use compressed air to
blow off any cadmium residue from the clothing
• Changing rooms must have separate storage areas
for protective clothing and equipment and for
street clothes which prevent cross-contamination
• Employees may not eat, drink, smoke, chew
tobacco or gum, or apply cosmetics before
washing their hands and face
The following precautions
must be taken to protect
workers:
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
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SAFE REMOVAL OF CONTAMINATED CLOTHING
After coming in contact with cadmium while performing
a job task:
• Don’t shake off or use compressed air to blow
contamination
• Remove contaminated clothing in designated area
• “Roll off” contaminated clothing, keeping
contaminants within inner surface
• Contaminated items should be placed in designated
locations; only authorized employees remove
contaminated clothing or equipment from the
workplace for laundering, cleaning, or disposal
• Wash any areas where skin contact occurred;
thoroughly wash hands and face
• Remove any contaminated clothing and
decontaminate yourself before entering break rooms
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
24. HOUSEKEEPING
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Engineering controls are designed to reduce airborne hazards (inhalation)
below the PEL, while housekeeping requirements reduce surface dust
accumulation (inhalation and ingestion)
This work surface is covered in cadmium dust.
Why is this a problem?
POOR HOUSEKEEPING practices can result in INCREASED EXPOSURES
PROPER HOUSEKEEPING is critical to MINIMIZING EXPOSURES
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
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Proper housekeeping is critical to minimize exposure
• All surface areas should be keep “as free as practicable” from accumulation of
cadmium dust
• All spills and sudden releases of material containing cadmium shall be cleaned
up as soon as possible
• Surfaces contaminated with cadmium shall be cleaned by vacuuming or other
methods that minimize the likelihood of cadmium becoming airborne
• HEPA-filtered vacuuming equipment shall be used
• Minimize the reentry of cadmium when emptying
• Shoveling, dry or wet sweeping, and brushing may be used only where other
methods are not effective
• Compressed air shall not be used to remove cadmium from any surface
• Unless used in conjunction with a ventilation system designed to capture
the dust cloud
• Items contaminated with cadmium and consigned for disposal shall be
collected and disposed of in sealed impermeable bags or other closed,
impermeable containers
HOUSEKEEPING
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
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Employees that are exposed, or may be exposed, to cadmium at concentrations at or
above the Action Level (AL)* for 30 or more days per year will be placed on the medical
surveillance (monitoring) program
Medical surveillance:
• Is a second line of defense
• Enhances worker protection
• When required, must be provided at no cost to workers
• Must be provided at a reasonable time and place
• Employer must pay travel costs and time
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
Crew Chiefs are not exposed for 30 or more days per year. Medical surveillance is not required.
27. KNOWLEDGE ASSESSMENT
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Assessing your wisdom!
The information in this presentation summarizes 29 CFR 1910.1027
For more detailed information, the full CFR and appendices can be found on
OSHA’s website
28. • Introduction
• Exposure Limit
• Methods of Compliance
• How to Protect Yourself
• Medical Surveillance
SUMMARY
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