OSHA Working on Cadmium Regulations

OSHA estimates that 70,000 construction workers have potentially been exposed to cadmium. An extremely toxic metal found in industrial workplaces, cadmium is usually inhaled and can result in kidney damage, lung cancer and other respiratory diseases.

Protect employees by ensuring they are not exposed to cadmium above the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of five micrograms per cubic meter of air in an eight-hour period, and provide them with appropriate respiratory protection.

OSHA is currently working on the Cadmium in Construction Standard, which will tighten regulations on cadmium exposure to protect construction workers from adverse health effects.