Hexavalent chromium (hex chrome) is the toxic form of the metal chromium. A byproduct of industrial processes, high temperatures oxidize chromium and convert it into the hexavalent state.
Industries that weld, grind or sand chromium coated materials produce hexavalent chromium fumes, putting their workers at risk. The most common of these materials include stainless steel, galvanized steel and carbon steel with a high carbon content. Hexavalent chromium welding on stainless steel is one of the most common industrial sources of exposure.
Occupations that are at risk of exposure to hexavalent chromium include:
As many as 558,000 workers throughout the United States are exposed to hex chrome on a routine basis.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), employers must follow strict guidelines to protect workers from hexavalent chromium exposure. OSHA requires monitoring, protective equipment, and ventilation systems to ensure air quality in workplaces where hexavalent chromium is used or released.
Installing high quality Downdraft Tables as part of your production process will provide workers with a safe environment to accomplish their work, while ensuring a high level of quality and performance to which you’ve grown accustomed.
Diversitech, a global leader in air pollution solutions, offers a vast selection of Portable Fume Extractors for use with various industrial applications such as welding, soldering, painting and more. Discover our most popular products.
Wall-mounted Fume Extractors allow fabrication shops to cost effectively mount air cleaners on a wall, column or ceiling mount configuration, saving valuable floor space for employees and production equipment in confined floor space environments.
When inhaled, hexavalent chromium poses multiple health risks to workers in industrial settings, including:
A known carcinogen, long-term exposure to hexavalent chromium can also lead to lung and nasal cancers.
Workers may experience early hexavalent chromium exposure symptoms such as coughing, headaches, and eye irritation before more severe chromium hexavalent health effects appear.
Without intervention, these health risks worsen over time, underscoring the importance of prevention and workplace controls.
Hexavalent chromium fumes do more than jeopardize worker health. When not properly contained, hex chrome also puts the health of local communities at risk.
Without proper controls in place, hexavalent chromium can escape into the neighboring air, soil and water. Children who play outside in dirt contaminated with hexavalent chromium then later touch their mouths, nose and eyes are likely to become exposed.
Those who ingest water tainted with hex chrome are also at risk of developing stomach cancer as well as reproductive problems. Exposing skin to hexavalent chromium can cause non-allergic skin irritation and “chrome ulcers”- small, crusted lesions that scar and are slow to heal.
Because hexavalent chromium is used for plating, coatings, and pigments, its release into the environment is an ongoing concern for both regulators and communities.
Modern air filtration and dust collection systems help reduce airborne particles from the air, preventing exposure not only in industrial facilities but also in surrounding neighborhoods.
By addressing both workplace safety and environmental protection, employers can limit the risks of hexavalent chromium exposure. Adopting solutions that meet OSHA standards and integrating effective dust filtration systems into HVAC systems ensures cleaner, safer air for workers and nearby residents alike.
Because it poses such an urgent threat to worker health, OSHA has workplace standards for regulating hexavalent chromium. As of 2006, OSHA regulations state:
For more information on OSHA regulations, visit OSHA Resources: Hexavalent Chromium.
At Diversitech, we understand the real hazard hexavalent chromium poses to worker health. We provide a number of filtration and ventilation solutions designed for the safe control of hex chrome fumes. Our downdraft tables, downdraft booths and portable fume extractors, all effectively capture hex chrome and prevent it from contaminating your workplace environment.
Every one of our hexavalent chromium filtration and ventilation products meet regulatory guidelines. Contact one of our representatives today to find the perfect equipment to fill your needs.
At Diversitech, we understand the real hazard hexavalent chromium poses to worker health. We provide a number of filtration and ventilation solutions designed for the safe control of hex chrome fumes. Our downdraft tables, downdraft booths and portable fume extractors, all effectively capture hex chrome and prevent it from contaminating your workplace environment.
Every one of our hexavalent chromium filtration and ventilation products meet regulatory guidelines. Contact one of our representatives today to find the perfect equipment to fill your needs.
Installing high quality Downdraft Tables as part of your production process will provide workers with a safe environment to accomplish their work, while ensuring a high level of quality and performance to which you’ve grown accustomed.
Diversitech, a global leader in air pollution solutions, offers a vast selection of Portable Fume Extractors for use with various industrial applications such as welding, soldering, painting and more. Discover our most popular products.
Wall-mounted Fume Extractors allow fabrication shops to cost effectively mount air cleaners on a wall, column or ceiling mount configuration, saving valuable floor space for employees and production equipment in confined floor space environments.
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