Text For Citation: 02 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: DUST&FUMES

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were allowed to smoke cigarettes in work areas where there were exposures to cadmium fume and dust: A) PLATING OPERATORS WORKING ON THE UNIVERSAL LINE AND THE FLAT WIRE LINE WERE ALLOWED TO SMOKE CIGARETTES IN THE WORK AREA. EMPLOYEES WERE OBSERVED WORKING OVER MOLTEN CADMIUM WITH CIGARETTES IN THEIR MOUTHS. CIGARETTE SMOKING IN THIS AREA INCREASES BOTH THE INHALATION AND INGESTION OF CADMIUM BY EMPLOYEES. CADMIUM IS A CARCINOGEN AND CAUSES KIDNEY AND LUNG DAMAGE.