Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association (OPCMIA)

1. 1 Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association (OPCMIA) Hexavalent Chromium in Portland Cement

2. Program Introduction Consider: • Does your company work with portland cement? • Workers = Immediate employees and subcontractors = Your responsibility • There are 1,300,000 workers in 30 occupations that may be at risk. Topics: • Costs associated with injuries and illness • The presence of hexavalent chromium in portland cement • Hexavalent chromium exposure • Exposure prevention and control • Worker training and recordkeeping requirements

3. Program Introduction OSHA hazard communication: • Worker training must address: • Hazards associated with hexavalent chromium • Signs and symptoms of hexavalent chromium-related health effects • Preventative measures (PPE, exposure controls, hygiene) • Worker access to hygiene facilities, PPE, and information (e.g., MSDSs)

4. Program Introduction Hexavalent chromium: • Chemical used in the manufacturing of portland cement • Classified as a carcinogen (inhalation and ingestion) • Dermal contact can lead to allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) • ACD can be a debilitating skin disorder that can adversely affect an employee’s health and ability to work

5. Program Introduction Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD): • Skin disease that may occur from working with wet portland cement • Immunologic reaction caused by a sensitization to hexavalent chromium • Once sensitized, exposure to small amounts can trigger a strong reaction • Severe cases of sensitization may become a permanent disability • Sensitization may develop years after working with cement and may not be confined to the area of contact • Difficult to cure, exposure prevention is key

6. Program Introduction Hazard assessment: • Employer must identify areas where a hazard is present or is likely to be present from skin or eye contact with hexavalent chromium • A walk-through survey of the workplace is recommended to identify sources of worker hexavalent chromium exposure • A review of workplace injury and illness records is recommended

7. Program Introduction Hazard assessment (cont.): • Exposures must be evaluated, taking into account factors such as: • The acidity or alkalinity of the hexavalent chromium-containing compound or mixture • The magnitude and duration of exposure • Where a hazard is identified, the employer must select the hazard control measure or measures (e.g. PPE) needed to protect workers • Employer must provide PPE that is in good working condition

8. Program Introduction Review: • You are responsible for the health and safety of your workers • 1,300,000 workers in 30 occupations regularly exposed to wet portland cement products • OSHA hazard communication standard requires hexavalent chromium training • Hexavalent chromium (carcinogen – inhalation/ingestion) can cause Allergic Contact Dermatitis (ACD) • Employers must conduct a hazard assessment prior to beginning work

9. Costs associated with injuries and illness

10. Costs associated with injuries and illness Objectives: • Identify contractor costs that are associated with injuries and illness • Explain what Experience Modifications Rates are and how they impact a company’s insurance rates

11. Costs associated with injuries and illness Statistics: • There are 7 million workers in the construction trades. • Construction trade accidents account for 370,000 injuries per year (Avg. -1,000/day). • Construction companies spend $170 billion/year on costs associated with injuries/illness. • Workers who suffer a disabling injury can lose 40% of their income over a 5-year period. • Accident and injury costs account for 6.5% of construction dollars spent. • OSHA citations and fines can affect the bottom line of a company. • Injuries and illness = Waste

12. Costs associated with injuries and illness Statistics (cont.): • Skin disorders comprise 35% of all occupational related diseases. • ACD accounts for 20% of all cases of occupational dermatitis. • ACD costs workers, insurers, companies, and the government between $135 million and $679 million a year. • Wet cement is the #1 cause of occupational skin disease in the U.S. • Portland cement accounts for 25% of work related skin problems world wide.

13. Costs associated with injuries and illness Statistics (cont.): • Concrete workers in the U.S. report 4 times more lost work days for skin problems than do all other construction trades. • Of the 7 million construction workers in the U.S., 8% to 22% of them will come in contact with wet portland cement. • 5% to 15% of workers that come in contact with portland cement may suffer from ACD at a rate 25 times that of the general population.

14. Costs associated with injuries and illness It may be worse: • Most skin problems are not reported: • Believe it’s part of the job • Fear of embarrassment A recent survey revealed: Skin problems: Doctor visits: Yes Yes 7 % 29% 71% 93% No No 71% report rashes, bumps, red skin, burning, itching, scaling, fissures, pain. Only 7% report doctor visits or lost time.

15. Costs associated with injuries and illness Costs associated with injuries and illness: • More Compensation Claims = • Higher EMRs = • Higher Insurance Rates • Time away by experienced workers • Training replacements • Retraining for injured workers • Light duty workloads • Post-traumatic repercussions

16. Costs associated with injuries and illness Experience Modification Rates (EMRs): • Insurance industry: Developed experience rating systems as means of determining premiums for workers’ compensation insurance • Rating systems: Consider average workers’ compensation losses for a given firm’s type of work and amount of payroll, and predict the dollar amount of expected losses to be paid out by that employer in a designated rating period (usually 3 years) • Rating is based on comparisons with other firms doing similar work • Losses incurred by employer for the rating period are then compared to the expected losses to develop the experience rating (or EMR). Workers’ compensation insurance premiums for a contractor are adjusted by this rate (the EMR)

17. Costs associated with injuries and illness Summary: • Injuries and illness can increase costs: • Insurance rates • Training and retraining • OSHA citations and fines • Absenteeism: • Faulty products • Disrupted work assignments • Worker training is crucial in minimizing job related injuries and illness

18. The presence of hexavalent chromium in portland cement

19. The presence of hexavalent chromium in portland cement 19 Objectives: • Recognize the presence of hexavalent chromium in portland cement • Identify products containing portland cement • Identify people who are exposed to hexavalent chromium in portland cement

20. The presence of hexavalent chromium in portland cement 20 Portland cement: • 80% of all U.S. ready-mix concrete contains portland cement • Portland cement is universally abrasive • Portland cement becomes extremely alkaline when wet

21. The presence of hexavalent chromium in portland cement 21 Portland cement (cont.): • Occupations health hazards of portland cement include: • Inhalation • Dermal • Eye hazards

22. The presence of hexavalent chromium in portland cement Hexavalent chromium: • Occupations health hazards result from contaminants generally found in portland cement, including hexavalent chromium • 83 of 89 U.S. and Canadian manufacturers’ portland cement contains detectable hexavalent chromium • Hexavalent chromium has been classified as a carcinogen • Inhalation and ingestion

23. The presence of hexavalent chromium in portland cement Hexavalent chromium (cont.): • Hexavalent chromium (Cr[VI]) is the primary cause of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) from portland cement • Hexavalent chromium is present in portland cement in generally trace amounts • Hexavalent chromium is a contaminant that enters the cement mixture through raw materials or during its manufacturing • Generally there is less than 20 µg hexavalent chromium per gram of cement, or 20 parts per million (ppm)

24. The presence of hexavalent chromium in portland cement Products that contain portland cement: • Concrete • Mortar • Plaster • Spackle • Stucco • Terrazzo • Tile grout

25. The presence of hexavalent chromium in portland cement Hexavalent chromium: • More than 1,300,000 workers in 30 occupations are generally exposed to wet portland cement products: • Bricklayers • Carpenters • Cement masons • Concrete finishers • Ready-mixed concrete truck driver • Hod carrier • Plasterer • Terrazzo worker • Tile setter

26. The presence of hexavalent chromium in portland cement Discussion Questions • Portland cement occupies what percentage of all U.S ready-mix concrete? • What are the three primary areas of the body that portland cement can affect?

27. The presence of hexavalent chromium in portland cement Discussion Questions • Portland cement occupies what percentage of all U.S ready-mix concrete? (80 percent.) • What are the three primary areas of the body that portland cement can affect?(Lungs/inhalation, dermis or skin through contact, eye contamination and associated hazards.)

28. The presence of hexavalent chromium in portland cement Summary: • 80% of all U.S. ready-mix concrete contains portland cement • Hexavalent chromium is present in portland cement in generally trace amounts • Hexavalent chromium is the primary cause of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in portland cement • Types of products that contain portland cement • Types of workers that are exposed to portland cement Any Questions?

29. Hexavalent chromium exposure

30. Hexavalent chromium exposure Objectives: • Explain the routes of entry and the factors that cause hexavalent chromium exposure • Define sensitization • Recognize symptoms and health effects of hexavalent chromium exposure • Describe permissible exposure limits (PELs) for hexavalent chromium

31. Hexavalent chromium exposure Routes of exposure: • Inhalation – Through the air • Absorption – Through skin • Ingestion – Through eating or drinking Remember: • Cement dust can react with the eye’s mucous membrane and skin • Grinding concrete releases cement dust • Always wear respirator and eye protection when grinding

32. Hexavalent chromium exposure 32 Consider: • How you use wet cement helps determine whether it causes skin problems • How long does it contact your skin? • How often do you use it? • Is their mechanical trauma or abrasion of your skin? • Sources of mechanical trauma include: • Friction between your hand and your tool • Friction between your hand, glove, and tool • The pressure needed to use a tool • The aggregate in concrete

33. Hexavalent chromium exposure 33 Environmental factors: • Environmental factors can damage skin and increase the risk of skin problems from wet cement • Cold temperature: • Dries the skin • Causes microscopic cracks • Reduces awareness of chemical contact by reducing blood flow at the skin surface

34. Hexavalent chromium exposure 34 Environmental factors (cont.): • Heat, humidity, and sun: • Cause sweating – sweat dissolves chemicals, which de-fat the skin, causing microscopic damage • Heat increases blood flow at the skin surface and increases the rate at which skin absorbs chemicals • Humidity keeps sweat from evaporating • Sun burns the skin, reacts with some chemicals to cause light sensitization, and can cause cancer

35. Hexavalent chromium exposure 35 Individual factors: • Individual factors may affect skin problems caused by wet cement, including: • Pre-existing dermatitis • Predisposition • Knowledge • Personal practices • There is no predictable order to the development of skin problems • You must take protective measures to reduce exposure as much as possible

36. Hexavalent chromium exposure 36 Health effects: • Sensitization: • Sensitization is an immune system response • It may be a local or a widespread reaction • Usually, the chemical or substance causes no change on first contact • During the period of incubation (sensitization), your immune system alters cells invisibly to fight the foreign substance • Once you are sensitized, small amounts trigger a strong reaction

37. Hexavalent chromium exposure 37 Health effects (cont.): • Sensitization: • Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a serious risk for construction workers who use wet portland cement • Many people cannot tolerate further exposure to the chemical • A sensitization may develop even after you’ve worked with wet cement for many years • Hexavalent chromium in cement is the primary cause of ACD

38. Hexavalent chromium exposure 38 Health effects (cont.): • Sensitization: • Avoid using creams and lotions containing lanolin (some individuals may be allergic to lanolin) • Do not apply creams or lotions while on the job • Contaminated gloves can trap cement against the skin

39. Hexavalent chromium exposure 39 Permissible exposure limits: • OSHA’s PELs for both portland cement and particulates not otherwise regulated (PNOR) are 15 mg/m3 as total dust, and 5 mg/m3 for the respirable fraction • Because there are only trace amounts of hexavalent chromium in portland cement, these PELs could provide adequate protection against hexavalent chromium inhalation • If maintaining portland cement exposure levels below the PEL is not possible through engineering controls, exposed employees must wear respiratory protection

40. Hexavalent chromium exposure 40 Exposure levels: • Activities where high levels of exposure to hexavalent chromium may occur in construction include: • Terrazzo work • Mixing mortar • Jobsite mixing of concrete

41. Hexavalent chromium exposure Discussion Questions • In what three ways can an individual be exposed to Hexavalent chromium? • A common sensitization (or reaction) for construction workers who use wet portland cement is called what?

42. Hexavalent chromium exposure Discussion Questions • In what three ways can an individual be exposed to Hexavalent chromium? (Inhalation, absorption, ingestion.) • A common sensitization (or reaction) for construction workers who use wet portland cement is called what? (Allergic contact dermatitis [ACD].)

43. Hexavalent chromium exposure Summary: • Your workers who use portland cement may be exposed to hexavalent chromium through inhalation, absorption, and ingestion • Environmental and individual factors can affect exposure • Sensitization may develop after working with wet cement for many years, leading to ACD • PELs for both portland cement and particulates not otherwise regulated (PNOR) are 15 mg/m3 as total dust, and 5 mg/m3 for the respirable fraction where listed Any Questions?

44. Exposure prevention and control

45. Exposure prevention and control Objectives: • Identify methods for preventing and controlling worker exposure to hexavalent chromium in portland cement, including: • Hazard control measures • PPE and clothing • Work practices • Sanitation • Hazard communication and assessment

46. Exposure prevention and control Hazard control measures: • Engineering controls • Administrative controls • Use of PPE

47. Exposure prevention and control Engineering controls: • Designing facility, equipment, or process to remove hazards, or substitute the process, equipment, or materials to lesson hazards • Enclosure of hazards using enclosed cabs • Isolation of hazards (e.g., interlocks, machine guards, shields, or curtains) • Removal or redirection of hazards using ventilation control systems (local exhaust, general ventilation)

48. Exposure prevention and control Administrative controls: • Written operating procedures, work permits, safe work practices • Exposure time limitations • Monitoring use of highly hazardous materials or dangerous equipment • Alarms and warning signs • Buddy systems and training

49. Exposure prevention and control Use of PPE: • When engineering controls are not feasible or do not totally eliminate a hazard • While engineering controls are being developed • When safe work practices do not provide sufficient additional protection • During emergencies when engineering controls may not be feasible

50. Exposure prevention and control Protective clothing and equipment: • The type of protective clothing and equipment needed depends on: • The potential for exposure • The conditions of use in the workplace • PPE requirements may not be the same for every job site • Employers are responsible for providing their workers with appropriate PPE that is in good working condition