12/22/2023 0 Comments Hexavalent chromium hazards![]() When the previous is not possible or insufficient, e.g. an extraction hood over the welding robot. Then separation of the source and human by automation and e.g. Secondly at-source capture of welding fumes. First reduction or avoidance of the production of welding fumes. There are international standards for the preferred order to in which welding fumes must be captured. It is strongly advised to take proper exposure measurements and make sure every worker has the necessary means - ventilation and PPE - to protect themselves and minimize any health risks. In some areas of work, you have no option but to use it. When it comes to applying paint and coatings, it is best to avoid working with hexavalent chromium. workers use personal protection equipment (PPE), like PersonalPro welding helmets. Please see to it that for all welding, cutting, grinding and sanding activities. This does not only apply to welders, but also to workers who have other tasks like cutting, grinding and sanding, or even forklift drivers, maintenance workers and team leaders. To make sure your workers aren’t exposed to large amounts of hazardous substances, you must use adequate exhaust ventilation and filtration in your workspace. The NIOSH recommends that airborne exposure to all Cr(VI) compounds be limited to a concentration of 0.2 µg Cr(VI)/m 3 for an 8-hr TWA exposure during a 40-hr workweek 3. In the Netherlands the maximum allowable concentration for hexavalent chromium is 1 µg/m 3 for an 8-hr TWA exposure during a 40-hr workweek, for welding fumes in general this is 1 mg/m 3. You can blame this on the hexavalent chromium that was discovered in the paint and the necessary protection measures that had to be taken for both workers and passing traffic.Īppropriate protection against Chromium 6 hazards A large repair project on a highway bridge in the Netherlands is taking much longer and has more impact on traffic than planned. The dangerous substance can also affect infrastructure projects. All reports and measures are made public on a website created by the department. When hexavalent chromium is detected while working on equipment or buildings, reports must be filed, and adequate measures must be taken. In recent years, the Dutch Department of Defense reported many incidents related to the workers’ use of hexavalent chromium. Paint with chromium VI has been used widely to protect military equipment. ![]() Where else is hexavalent chromium being used? Various other workers in the sectors mentioned above are at risk as well. Welders are not the only ones affected by the hazards of hexavalent chromium. Workers in the metal industry, shipyards, construction work, and transportation sector are the possible prime victims. ![]() You will find exposure to welding fumes in multiple sectors. Usually, chromium is not added to other types of steel, but it can be around at low levels, due to the use of scrap steel in the production process. That doesn’t mean it is limited to this material. “Shocking,” concluded the investigators, pointing fingers at both NedTrain and the city that didn’t inquire at all.Įxposure to hexavalent chromium in welding fumes is primarily associated with welding stainless steel. The Nederlandse Spoorwegen is blamed for knowing that this kind of painting was used on the trains but never mentioning it to the city of Tilburg. The exposed workers in Tilburg were scraping off this specific paint of old trains. ![]() This substance is also used in certain paints and coatings for its corrosion protection. Chromium metal itself is not very dangerous, but during welding or grinding the metal is oxidized to hazardous hexavalent chromium. The city of Tilburg has to pay a total of 10 million euros to those that have been exposed to and those that have gotten ill from Chrome 6, working at the Nederlandse Spoorwegen workshop.Ĭhromium metal is used in many steel alloys to harden the material and make it more resistant to corrosion. What is hexavalent chromium & how to act for best protection.Ī recent case (early February 2019) of financial compensation for 800 workers who have been exposed to the hazardous hexavalent chromium in the workshop of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NedTrain-department) in Tilburg, the Netherlands, has again put the spotlight on the danger of this substance. ![]()
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