Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 012A Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.1027(c): The employer did not ensure that no employee was exposed to an airborne concentration of cadmium in excess of five micrograms per cubic meter of air (5ug/m3), calculated as an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA): a) Patco Area, Strip and Wash Building, on or about 12/1/15: An employee plasma cutting the undercarriage of a rail car was exposed to 6.02 micrograms per cubic meter of cadmium as an 8-hr. time weighted average (TWA), 1.2 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 5 micrograms per cubic meter, during the 413 minute sampling period. A zero increment was included for the 67 minutes not sampled. The employer failed to ensure employees were not exposed to cadmium above the PEL. Engineering controls such as, but not limited to mechanical ventilation and work practice controls were not provided. Abatement note: Abatement must be done in steps to include use of respirators until effective engineering controls are implemented, developing a plan and use of approved and effective engineering controls to be done in following stages: 1) Employees must be placed in effective and approved respirators while complying with the requirements of an effective respiratory protection program that complies with 29 CFR 1910.134 and includes medical evaluations, fit -testing and training. (30 days) 2) A plan to reduce employee exposures must be submitted with preference of reducing exposures through appropriate engineering controls. (60 days) 3) Appropriate engineering controls, such as but not limited to local ventilation or portable ventilation units, with verification of their effectiveness must be in place to reduce employee exposures. (90 days) Abatement documentation must be submitted for this item