Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 039 Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.1026(i)(5): The employer does not prohibit eating, drinking, smoking, chewing tobacco or gum, or applying cosmetics in regulated areas, or in areas where skin or eye contact with chromium (VI) occurs; or carry the products associated with these activities, or store such products in these areas: a) Production Area- Hexavalent Chrome Tank; On or about August 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer exposed employees to hexavalent chromium hazards, in that the employer allows employees to consume food and beverage as well as smoke tobacco within regulated areas of hexavalent chromium. Employees batch chromium phosphate and was exposed to hexavalent chromium at an 8-hour TWA of 0.019 mg/m3. This level exceeded the permissible exposure level (PEL) of 0.005 mg/m3 by 3.8 times. The exposure was derived from a sample collected for a 470-minute sampling period on October 11, 2023. Exposure calculations included a zero increment for the time not sampled. b) Production Area- Hexavalent Chrome Tank; On or about August 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer exposed employees to hexavalent chromium hazards, in that an employee was batching chromium phosphate and was exposed to hexavalent chromium at an 8-hour TWA of 0.014 mg/m3. This level exceeded the permissible exposure level (PEL) of 0.005 mg/m3 by 2.8 times. The exposure was derived from a sample collected for a 478-minute sampling period on October 18, 2023. Exposure calculations included a zero increment for the time not sampled.