Professional Plating meets OSHA Final Standard on Hexavalent Chromium

Rob Ansems
Mar 28, 2006

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a final standard for occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium in the Feb 2006 Federal Register. The standard covers occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in general industry, construction and shipyards.

The new standard lowers OSHA’s permissible exposure limit (PEL) from 52 to 5 micrograms of chromium per cubic meter of air as an 8-hour time-weighted average. Professional Plating Inc. has proactively worked with our suppliers years before the new standard was published to ensure that the occupational exposure to our team members is below the new standard.

Hexavalent chromium is an integral part of our zinc plating process which provides corrosion resistance to our customers. Professional Plating Inc. is actively pursuing options to eliminate hexavalent chromium from our plating process yet providing the same or better corrosion resistance to our customers. We have been able to eliminate over 50% to date.