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Occupational exposure to inorganic arsenic may occur with work around copper-treated lumber, electronic and semiconductors, pesticides, and certain types of glass. Many inorganic arsenic compounds are found in the environment, frequently occurring as sulfide naturally forms in complex minerals which contain copper, lead, iron, nickel, cobalt, and other metals. These compounds were commonly used as pesticides until the 1970s and 1980s when use shifted more to lumber preservation. Some foods, such as seafood, mushrooms, and certain rice, can also contain detectable amounts of arsenic, and if consumed in large quantities, can be dangerous. Potential exposure is also through drinking water contaminated with arsenic-containing pesticides, chemicals, and natural mineral deposits.
Scope
Occupational exposure to inorganic arsenic is possible through inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact during manufacturing, processing, and handling of the substances used for nonferrous smelting, wood preservation, glass and electronic manufacturing, and agricultural chemical applications. Though banned as a use in pesticides, residual amounts may still exist in the environment to which workers can be exposed.
Arsenic and its compounds occur in crystalline, powder, amorphous, or vitreous forms. It has long been recognized as a poison that can cause cancer and is lethal in large doses. In smaller doses, it can irritate the respiratory and digestive tracts, affect the production of healthy blood cells, and therefore cause fatigue in workers. Chronic exposure to arsenic can result in a darkening of the skin and the appearance of small growths on the palms, soles of feet, and the back.
The action level (AL) for inorganic arsenic is 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air (5 µg/m3) averaged over any 8-hour period. OSHA has also established a permissible exposure limit (PEL) for inorganic arsenic, which is a concentration greater than 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air (10 µg/m3), averaged over any 8-hour period.
Regulatory citations
- 29 CFR 1910.1018 (general industry) or 29 CFR 1926.1118 (construction)
- 29 CFR 1904 — Recording and reporting occupational injuries and illnesses
- 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I — Personal Protective Equipment (PPE )
- 29 CFR 1910 Subpart N — Materials handling and storage
- 29 CFR 1910.1020 — Access to employee exposure and medical records
- 29 CFR 1910.1200 — Hazard communication
- 29 USC 654 — General duty clause of the OSH Act
Key definitions
- Action level: The point at which a task or activity should be proactively changed to prevent an injury, illness, or other negative consequence.
- Amorphous: Have no defined or fixed shape.
- Crystalline: Having characteristics of a crystal, such as clearness or transparency , with highly ordered and symmetrical chemical bonds.
- Exposure: Subjecting a worker to a hazardous drug by any route of entry, such as inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, or absorption. Exposure includes potential (e.g., accidental or possible) exposure.
- Hazardous: Posing a health hazard, a physical hazard, or harm to people or the environment.
- Inorganic: Not consisting of natural, living (plant or animal) material.
- Permissible exposure limit (PEL): The legal regulatory limit of a substance that a worker can be exposed to without adverse health effects.
- Time-weighted average (TWA): A calculation of a worker’s average exposure to a hazardous material or substance over a given period of time, typically 8 hours.
- Vitreous: Having characteristics of glass, such as transparency, shininess, brittleness, and hardness.
Summary of requirements
- Conduct hazard assessments to identify operations or activities that may expose, or potentially expose, an employee to inorganic arsenic.
- Consult with industrial hygienists or other occupational health and safety professionals for guidance as necessary.
- Develop and implement a written program to reduce exposures to or below the permissible exposure limit by means of engineering and work practice controls.
- Establish surveillance and exposure monitoring protocols to determine potential exposure levels that are representative of each employee’s exposure to inorganic arsenic over an 8-hour period.
- Establish regulated areas where there is worker exposure to inorganic arsenic.
- Notify affected employees of these monitoring results either individually in writing or by posting the results in an appropriate, accessible location.
- Implement controls and procedures for safe handling, disposal, and inspection of facilities, equipment, and tools used for processes containing inorganic arsenic.
- Establish housekeeping and hygiene practices to maintain all surfaces as free as practicable of accumulations of inorganic arsenic.
- Provide appropriate PPE, including respirators, necessary to protect workers from exposure.
- Ensure hazardous materials are properly inventoried and labeled and that safety data sheets (SDSs) are readily accessible for workers.
- Train workers in chemical and material handling hazards and required protective measures.
- Investigate any worker incidents or near misses to find root causes and implement corrective actions to prevent future occurrences.