Guidance for the

Identification and Control of

Safety and Health Hazards

in Metal Scrap Recycling

OSHA 3348-05 2008
Employers are responsible for providing a safe and

healthy workplace for their employees. OSHA’s role

is to promote the safety and health of America’s

working men and women by setting and enforcing

standards; providing training, outreach and education;

establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual

improvement in workplace safety and health.

This publication provides a general overview of a

particular standards-related topic. This publication

does not alter or determine compliance responsibilities which are set forth in OSHA standards, and the

Occupational Safety and Health Act. Moreover, because interpretations and enforcement policy may

change over time, for additional guidance on OSHA

compliance requirements, the reader should consult

current administrative interpretations and decisions

by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission and the courts.

Material contained in this publication is in the public

domain and may be reproduced, fully or partially,

without permission. Source credit is requested but

not required.

This information will be made available to sensory

impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202)

693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: 1-877-889-

5627.

Edwin G. Foulke, Jr.

Assistant Secretary of Labor for

Occupational Safety and Health
Guidance for the Identification and

Control of Safety and Health Hazards

in Metal Scrap Recycling

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

U.S. Department of Labor

OSHA 3348-05

2008
Contents

Introduction 3

The Audience for This Guide 3

Why This Guide Is Important 3

How This Guide Can Help 3

What This Guide Covers 3

Specific Standards and Requirements

Addressing Chemical and Physical

Hazards in Metal Recycling Operations 3

Other Relevant Guidelines 4

Types of Hazards in Metal Scrap Recycling 4

Commonly Recycled Metals and

Their Sources 5

Types of Metals Most Commonly Recycled 5

Common Sources of Recycled Metals 5

What You Need to Know About Scrap

Quality and Contaminants 5

Common Recycling Processes,

Hazards and Related Controls 7

Processes Commonly Used to Recycle

Metal Scrap and Their Hazards 7

Loading and Unloading 7

Breaking and Separating Processes 9

Gas Torch Cutting 9

Non-Gas Torch and Other Cutting 11

Baling, Compacting and Shredding 12

Melting and Baking in Furnaces and Ovens 14

Applying Chemical Processes to

Recycle Metals 15

Recognizing and Controlling Hazards 16

How to Determine the Hazard Levels of

Various Processes 16

Metals that OSHA Regulates 16

What You Need to Know about Arsenic

Exposure 17

What You Need to Know about Beryllium

Exposure 18

What You Need to Know about Cadmium

Exposure 19

What You Need to Know about Hexavalent

Chromium Exposure 20

What You Need to Know about Lead

Exposure 21

What You Need to Know about Mercury

Exposure 22

What You Need to Know about Exposure

to Other Metals 24

What You Need to Know about Radioactive

Scrap 26

What You Need to Know about Metalworking

Fluids 27

What Other HazardsYou Should Know About 27

How to Control Hazards 28

Engineering Controls and Work

Practice Controls 28

Examples of Engineering and Work Practice

Control Techniques to Reduce Emissions 29

Personal Protective Equipment 30

The Need to Provide Hearing Protection 31

What You Need to Know about Hazard

Communication 32

References 34

Appendix – Exposure Limits for

Selected Metals 38

OSHA Assistance 41

OSHA Regional Offices 44

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Introduction

The Audience for This Guide

Anyone who works in the metal scrap recycling industry—employers, employees, safety professionals, and industrial hygienists—should read this

publication. This guide can help you identify and

manage the hazards associated with exposure to

various metals and processing chemicals and with

related processes and equipment used in metal

scrap recycling operations.

Why This Guide Is Important

Metal scrap recycling, also called secondary metal

processing, is a large industry that processes, in the

U.S. alone, 56 million tons of scrap iron and steel

(including 10 million tons of scrap automobiles),

1.5 million tons of scrap copper, 2.5 million tons of

scrap aluminum, 1.3 million tons of scrap lead,

300,000 tons of scrap zinc and 800,000 tons of scrap

stainless steel, and smaller quantities of other metals, on a yearly basis. (ISRI NDa)

Scrap metals, in general, are divided into two basic

categories: ferrous and nonferrous. Ferrous scrap is

metal that contains iron, while nonferrous metals

are metals that do not contain iron. These two basic

categories of metals are described in further detail in

the section, “Types of Metals Most Commonly Recycled” in the “Commonly Recycled Metals and Their

Sources” chapter of this guide.

Many employees are employed by scrap metal recycling industries. Private, nonferrous recycling industries in the U.S. employed approximately 16,000

employees in 2001.1 (Figures were not available for

ferrous recycling industries.) In 2001, those nonferrous recycling industries reported approximately

3,000 injuries and illnesses. The most common

causes of illness were poisoning (e.g., lead or cadmium poisoning), disorders associated with repeated trauma, skin diseases or disorders, and

respiratory conditions due to inhalation of, or other

contact with, toxic agents. Of those injuries and illnesses, 701 cases involved days away from work.

The most common events or exposures leading to

these cases were contact with an object or piece of

equipment; overextension; and exposure to a harmful substance. The most common types of these injuries were sprains and strains; heat burns; and cuts,

lacerations, and punctures. (BLS, 2003)

How This Guide Can Help

As an employer, this guide will help you protect

your employees by helping you and your employees recognize, manage, and control the potential

hazards associated with common metal scrap recycling processes. This guide will also assist safety

professionals and industrial hygienists in their efforts to identify, evaluate, and develop appropriate

controls for hazards related to metal scrap recycling

processes.

What This Guide Covers

This document will assist employers and employees

in recognizing and controlling typical health and

safety hazards associated with various metal scrap

recycling operations and in selecting appropriate

control methods. This document does not provide

an in-depth evaluation of every recycled material, or

of every associated process-related hazard; rather it

gives an overview of processes and related hazards

common to a wide range of metal scrap recycling

operations.

Employers must evaluate their own operations,

processes, and equipment to ensure that all hazards

in their operations are identified and appropriately

controlled. There are many relevant guidance documents and standards related to exposure to hazardous substances (including metals), working in

industrial environments, and working with specific

types of material handling and processing equipment that may be associated with recycling processes. This guidance document includes references

to these documents throughout the text, along with

short summaries where appropriate.

Specific Standards and Requirements

Addressing Chemical and Physical

Hazards in Metal Recycling Operations

Although this guide recommends work practices

and engineering controls to decrease hazards to employees, there are legal requirements in OSHA standards that you need to know about and comply

with. These include, for example, OSHA General Industry Standards, Title 29 of the Code of Federal

Regulations (CFR), Part 1910 and the Construction

Industry Standards in 29 CFR 1926. Consult these

standards directly to ensure full compliance with the

provisions. States with OSHA-approved plans have

standards which are at least as effective as, but may

differ from, the Federal OSHA standards. These and

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1After 2001, the data for private nonferrous recycling industries

were no longer available due to a change in industry codes.

However, the nonfatal injury incident rates in 2005 for codes

that encompass the nonferrous recycling industry range from

7.8 to 11.2 per 100 employees (BLS, 2005).
with OSHA performance-based standards, such as

29 CFR 1910.212, General Requirements for All Machines. ANSI standards are sometimes incorporated

into OSHA regulations, and in these cases, employers are accountable for complying with the specific

versions of the ANSI standard referenced. OSHA

generally recommends, however, that employers

use the most recent versions of ANSI standards.

Types of Hazards in Metal Scrap Recycling

Employees in facilities that recycle metal scrap are

exposed to a range of safety hazards associated

with material handling methods, hazards associated

with the metals themselves (as dust or fumes), and

with the hazardous substances used to process or

recover these metals. These hazards, the processes

and operations that present the hazards and the related control measures are covered in this guide.

other OSHA standards and documents are available

online at www.osha.gov.

Other federal agencies, including the Department of

Transportation (DOT), the Mine Safety and Health

Administration (MSHA) within the Department of

Labor, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),

the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the

Department of Energy (DOE) may each have applicable standards regulating specific types of scrap

metals or specific aspects of related recycling processes. Employers should refer to these agencies for

specific information regarding standards that may

affect their recycling operations.

Other Relevant Guidelines

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

publishes voluntary consensus standards on the

safe care and use of specific machinery. ANSI standards also may give you guidance on complying

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• Brass from lock manufacturing.

• Copper from tubing manufacturing.

Obsolete scrap, the other major source, may include:

• Copper cables.

• Copper household products.

• Copper and zinc pipes and radiators.

• Zinc from die-cast alloys in cars.

• Aluminum from used beverage cans.

• Aluminum from building siding.

• Platinum from automobile catalytic converters.

• Gold from electronic applications.

• Silver from used photographic film.

• Nickel from stainless steel.

• Lead from battery plates. (ISRI NDc; OECD 1995)

Nonferrous metals can also be recycled from captured particle emissions from metal primary or secondary production facilities.

Other exotic and precious metals come from a variety of sources, such as:

• Gallium from gallium arsenide (GaAs) used in

electronics.

• Gold from precious metals manufacturing plants

and from discarded electronics and jewelry.

• Platinum-group metals from catalysts (including

catalytic converters, which automobile recyclers

systematically collect).

• Used catalysts from industrial processes (mostly

from the chemical and pharmaceutical industries).

• Old electronics equipment.

• Other jewelry. (USGS 2001)

Radioactive metal scrap may come from military applications (such as depleted uranium), discarded

medical equipment, building or storage material

from nuclear power plants (particularly nickel scrap)

or trace amounts found elsewhere, such as Americium (Am-241), found in smoke detectors.

Additional information on sources of various metals

is provided in the “What You Need to Know about

Exposure to Other Metals” section at page 24.

What You Need to Know about Scrap

Quality and Contaminants

The worldwide scrap metal recycling industry has

developed sets of specifications and grading systems to ensure consistent quality of source scrap

material for a given grade of metal scrap. The three

most widely-used specifications are the Scrap SpecCommonly Recycled Metals

and Their Sources

Types of Metals Most Commonly Recycled

The scrap metal recycling industry encompasses a

wide range of metals. Some of the most commonlyrecycled metals (by volume) are iron and scrap steel

(ISS), copper, aluminum, lead, zinc, and stainless

steel. (ISRI NDa)

Scrap metals, in general, are divided into two basic

categories: ferrous and nonferrous. Ferrous scrap is

metal that contains iron. Iron and steel (which contains iron) can be processed and remelted repeatedly to form new objects. (ISRI NDb)

Common nonferrous metals are copper, brass, aluminum, zinc, magnesium, tin, nickel, and lead. Nonferrous metals also include precious and exotic

metals. Precious metals are metals with a high market value in any form, such as gold, silver, and platinum. Exotic metals contain rare elements such as

cobalt, mercury, titanium, tungsten, arsenic, beryllium, bismuth, cerium, cadmium, niobium, indium,

gallium, germanium, lithium, selenium, tantalum,

tellurium, vanadium, and zirconium.

Some types of metals are radioactive. These may be

“naturally-occurring” or may be formed as by-products of nuclear reactions. Metals that have been exposed to radioactive sources may also become

radioactive in settings such as medical environments,

research laboratories, or nuclear power plants.

Common Sources of Recycled Metals

Ferrous scrap comes from sources such as:

• Mill scrap (from primary processing).

• Used construction beams, plates, pipes, tubes,

wiring, and shot.

• Old automobiles and other automotive scraps.

• Boat scrap, railroad scrap, and railcar scrap.

• Miscellaneous scrap metal.

Ferrous metals are magnetic and are often collected

in scrap yards by a large electromagnet attached to

a crane, sweeping across piles of scrap to grab magnetic objects.

Aluminum is the most widely-recycled nonferrous

metal. (ISRI NDc) The major sources of nonferrous

scrap are industrial or new scrap, and obsolete

scrap. Industrial or new scrap may include:

• Aluminum left over when can lids are punched

out of sheets.

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Employers should be aware of the potential impurities in their source scrap, and should be prepared to

monitor for hazardous levels of those metals and

other chemicals in their work environments (OECD

1995). Employers should also ensure that they receive their scrap supply from reliable sources that

follow the established guidelines and should obtain

material data safety sheets (MSDSs) and labels for

the scrap materials where available. If an MSDS is

not provided, the employer must request one from

their supplier. See the discussion on “What You

Need to Know about Hazard Communication”

at page 32 in the “Recognizing and Controlling

Hazards” section of this guide for more information

on employer obligations to obtain MSDSs and

labels for scrap materials.

ifications Circular (U.S. Institute of Scrap Recycling

Industries, Inc.), the European Classification for NonFerrous Scrap Metals, and the Standard Classification for Non-Ferrous Scrap Metals (U.S. National

Association of Secondary Materials Industries, Inc.).

These specifications generally set minimum and

maximum content of certain metal impurities, and

restrict levels of certain hazardous metals and other

hazardous substances.

Employers should be aware that these criteria are

designed to protect the end-user, or are for product

quality purposes, and are not designed to protect

employees performing metal scrap recycling

processes. As a result, concentrations of certain

metals that are below these quality specification requirements, either as incoming raw scrap or as

processed scrap (to be sent elsewhere), may still

pose hazards to employees handling metal scrap.

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metal scrap recycling, including (but not limited

to) the following standards

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Air Contaminants

• 29 CFR 1910.212, General requirements for all

machines

• 29 CFR 1910.219, Mechanical power-transmission apparatus

• 29 CFR 1910.147, The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA 3170, Safeguarding Equipment and Protecting Employees from Amputations

• OSHA 2254, Training Requirements in OSHA

Standards and Training Guidelines

• OSHA Health and Safety Topics: Machine

Guarding, http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/machine

guarding/index.html

• OSHA Lockout/Tagout eTool http://www.

osha.gov/dts/osta/loto training/index.htm

• National Electrical Code 250-112

Loading and Unloading

The first step in any metal scrap recycling operation

is getting the metal scrap to the recycling operation

and collecting or sorting materials to be processed

in groups. This may involve light or heavy trucks,

stationary or mobile cranes, conveyor belts, and

other large and potentially hazardous equipment.

Working with this equipment poses hazards typical

for material handling equipment.

Employers must ensure that employees use the appropriate combination of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as hard hats, sturdy boots, gloves,

thick clothing, and respirators (if the operation generates hazardous dust) to be adequately protected

from safety and health hazards.

OSHA’s Personal Protective Equipment standards

(29 CFR 1910 Subpart I) establish requirements for

employers to evaluate the workplace and identify

PPE needs based on actual workplace hazards

(29 CFR 1910.132). These standards also establish

criteria for proper selection and use of specific

types of PPE such as foot, eye, or head protection.

See the “Applicable Standards” box on the next

page for a list of OSHA PPE standards (not necessarily all-inclusive) that may apply to recycling

operations.

Common Recycling

Processes, Hazards and

Related Controls

Processes Commonly Used to Recycle

Metal Scrap and Their Hazards

Metal scrap recycling is a large and complex industry. The variety of metals involved and the wide

range of sources of metal scrap require many processing techniques. These processing techniques

pose a range of safety and health hazards to employees in the industry. This section discusses a selection of those processes, the types of hazards that

these processes may pose to employees, and control measures employers and operators can implement to control or eliminate these hazards. This

document does not go into detail on every process

or every hazard associated with every process, but

rather it discusses the most common processes and

provides examples of hazards related to those

processes.

Recycling is a multi-step process, starting with collection and transport of raw scrap, pretreatment,

melting, refining, forming and finishing. The recycling processes discussed in this document fall into

these basic categories:

• Loading and unloading.

• Breaking and separating.

• Gas torch cutting.

• Non-gas torch cutting and other cutting.

• Baling, compacting, and shredding.

• Melting and baking in furnaces and ovens.

• Applying chemical processes to recycle metals.

Each category is an individual component of the recycling process and may pose a wide range of

safety hazards that are common to many industrial

and material handling processes. Such hazards may

include flying pieces of material, exposed moving

parts, fire hazards, and noise hazards.

Hazardous chemical exposures to employees are

most likely to result from hot processes that produce

fumes (such as torching and welding or melting in furnaces) or processes that produce dust (such as breaking, shredding, and cutting). Each of these processes

is discussed in detail on the following pages.

Applicable Standards

29 CFR 1910 General Industry - many standards

for occupational safety and health may apply to

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Case History #3

A 31-year-old male recycling plant foreman died

when he was run over and crushed by a front-end

loader. The victim was struck by the loader when

its brakes failed as it backed down an incline after

depositing cans into a hopper for processing.

(NIOSH FACE, 95MA026)

Preventive/corrective measures: Operators must

examine all powered material handling equipment at the beginning of each shift. All failing

equipment must be tagged out of service and not

used until repaired.

Case History #4

A 24-year-old forklift truck operator died after the

lift truck he was operating overturned. The victim

was operating the equipment in the storage yard

of a wire mill. A length of wire became wrapped

around the front drive trans-axle, severing the hydraulic brake line. As he was returning to the

plant with two empty wire spools, the brakes

failed on the truck. He was traveling down an incline and turned abruptly to avoid striking stored

material. The sharp turn caused the truck to overturn. The victim tried to jump free but was struck

by the Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) of

the truck. (NIOSH FACE, 96MO054)

Preventive/corrective measures: Employers must

keep aisles and passages used by material handling vehicles clear of obstructions. Operators

must inspect all powered material handling

equipment at the beginning of each shift. All failing equipment must be tagged out of service and

not used until repaired. Operators of sit-down

trucks need to be trained to remain in the operator’s position in a tipover accident and to lean

away from the direction of fall to minimize the

potential for injury. When seat belts are installed

on forklifts, employees are required to wear

them.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.132, General requirements

• 29 CFR 1910.132(h), Employer Payment for

Personal Protective Equipment

• 29 CFR 1910.133, Eye and face protection

• 29 CFR 1910.134, Respiratory protection

Forklift and crane operators must be properly

trained in the use of such equipment. Operators

must conduct pre- or post-shift vehicle inspections

depending on vehicle use. Employers must consider

equipping vehicles with guarding to protect any vulnerable brake lines from incidental damage during

operation (NIOSH FACE; 29 CFR 1910.178). Of

course, any alterations/additions to powered industrial trucks would require written approval from the

manufacturer.

Case History #1

A 46-year-old laborer died from injuries sustained

when his left arm became caught between the

belt and pulley of a conveyor system at a Massachusetts scrapyard and recycling plant. The victim

was working alone removing fallen debris from

the conveyor frame at the time of the incident.

(NIOSH FACE, 94MA021)

Preventive/corrective measures: Material handling equipment must be equipped with proper

machine guards to prevent employees from coming in contact with moving parts. Emergency stop

devices should be provided within easy reach of

all conveyor operator stations to allow operators

to immediately stop conveyors in the event of an

emergency. Machines must be locked or tagged

out during cleaning, servicing or maintenance.

Employees must be properly trained in all safety

devices.

Case History #2

A 41-year-old tow truck operator was run over by

his tow truck while unloading a car at a scrapyard.

The tow truck operator jerked the truck back and

forth to release a car, and backed over the victim,

who was working behind the truck. He then ran

over him again as he moved forward, with the

truck coming to rest with the victim pinned under

the rear wheel. Scrapyard employees tried to rescue the victim by lifting the truck with a grapple

crane but the grapple slipped and the truck fell

back on him. (NIOSH FACE, 99NJ09101)

Preventive/corrective measures: Operators

should disengage the transmission of the towing

vehicle when hooking or unhooking vehicles

from a tow. In addition, employees should never

work behind the towed vehicle or between the

vehicle and the tow truck during this process.

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Health Administration
sorted by hand. When sorting metal scrap by hand,

employees must wear personal protective equipment such as gloves if there is a possibility of encountering any metal or other substance for which

skin contact could result in adverse health effects.

Even for metals that do not irritate the skin, handling

sharp or pointed pieces of scrap metal poses cut or

abrasion hazards to hands or bodies. Employers are

required to ensure that employees wear proper personal protective equipment such as gloves and

durable clothing to guard against cuts and scrapes.

Employees also need to be aware of the proper first

aid, medical, and reporting procedures if they receive a cut or scrape. Similar concerns apply to

other scenarios where employees work with scrap

by hand.

Once an employee has started feeding material into

a furnace, there is a risk of hazardous fumes from

certain metals. Where exposures exceed OSHA Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs), employers are required to implement feasible engineering controls

(e.g., furnace feeding operations can be set-up with

local exhaust which can circulate and vent the air

near the furnaces to remove toxic fumes from the

workplace). If the exposures still exceed the PELs,

employees will need to wear respiratory protection

to prevent inhalation of toxic fumes and dusts. Refer

to the section on Personal Protective Equipment in

the “Recognizing and Controlling Hazards” section

of this guide for further information on this topic.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.95, Occupational Noise Exposure

• 29 CFR 1910.132, General requirements

• 29 CFR 1910.133, Eye and face protection

• 29 CFR 1910.134, Respiratory protection

• 29 CFR 1910.135, Head protection

• 29 CFR 1910.136, Occupational foot protection

• 29 CFR 1910.137, Electrical protective devices

• 29 CFR 1910.138, Hand protection

• 29 CFR 1910.147, The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)

• 29 CFR 1910.212, General requirements for all

machines

• 29 CFR 1910.219, Mechanical power-transmission apparatus

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Air Contaminants

Gas Torch Cutting

One of the most common tools used to break apart

large metal pieces is the gas cutting torch, often

• 29 CFR 1910.135, Head protection

• 29 CFR 1910.136, Occupational foot protection

• 29 CFR 1910.137, Electrical protective devices

• 29 CFR 1910.138, Hand protection

• 29 CFR 1910.147, The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)

• 29 CFR 1910.176, Handling materials - general

• 29 CFR 1910.178, Powered industrial trucks

• 29 CFR 1910.179, Overhead and gantry cranes

• 29 CFR 1910.180, Crawler locomotive and truck

cranes

• 29 CFR 1910.181, Derricks

• 29 CFR 1910.184, Slings

• 29 CFR 1910.212, General requirements for all

machines

• 29 CFR 1910.219, Mechanical power-transmission apparatus

Breaking and Separating Processes

Size-reduction of metal scrap is a necessary component of some operations. Basic metal breaking

processes often involve heavy manual labor to

break up large or complex assemblies of scrap

metal, or to cut or break the pieces into sizes that

can be fed into a furnace. Employees involved in activities of this type may be exposed to metal fumes,

smoke, hot environments, and hot material when

working near furnaces, and may come in contact

with metals that present hazards through both skin

contact and inhalation.

Some recycling industries use drop-ball breaking (or

‘tupping’) to break apart the largest solid pieces of

scrap metal, or to initiate breaking up large assemblies. This process may create flying object hazards

as the material breaks apart from the impact of the

ball. Employers must ensure that employees are

protected from these hazards by either performing

the task remotely; placing a barrier or protective

shield around the task; or using PPE such as face

and body protection. Breaking may also create a

noise hazard, requiring the employer to implement

feasible engineering or administrative controls. If

these controls do not sufficiently reduce the noise

hazard, employers must provide appropriate hearing protection such as earplugs, canal plugs, earmuffs, or other protective devices as required by

OSHA’s Occupational Noise Exposure standard,

29 CFR 1910.95.

Sorting of scrap is now commonly done by automated processes, though some metals must still be

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OSHA has established PELs for many hazardous

substances. OSHA requires employers to provide

engineering controls or work practices to the extent

feasible when employee exposure exceeds these

PELs for any metal or other hazardous substances.

Appropriate engineering controls such as ventilation

may include a local exhaust hood or booth or

portable local exhaust, such as a "snorkel" exhaust

system. Where ventilation or other engineering solutions are not completely effective or are not feasible, employees must wear PPE (e.g., respiratory

protection) to reduce their exposures to below the

PEL.

Eye protection, such as safety goggles or a welder's

mask with appropriate shaded lenses must also be

worn by employees that perform welding or cutting

activities (see 29 CFR 1910.133 for a list of appropriate shade numbers for welding and cutting tasks).

Employers should ensure that a competent person

inspects all work areas where hot work will be done

and should also ensure that employees are capable

of recognizing and avoiding hazardous situations.

Note, a competent person is an individual who

through training or experience is capable of recognizing hazards in the surroundings or working conditions and of identifying appropriate controls.

Case History #5

A 29-year-old scrap metal cutter died from injuries

sustained in an explosion. At the time of the incident, the victim had been cutting a vehicle frame

for salvage with a torch. He was working 8-to-10

feet from a 1,500-gallon storage tank. Escaping

vapors from the tank were ignited by spatter from

the cutting activities, causing the tank to explode.

The victim was engulfed in flames, igniting his

clothing and causing burns over 45% of his body.

The coworker extinguished the victim’s burning

clothing and helped him walk to the company’s

shop building. (NIOSH FACE, 98AK021)

Preventive/corrective measures: A competent person should inspect all work areas where hot work

will be performed prior to the start of the operations. All flammable and combustible materials

should be removed from the area. If flammable

or combustible materials cannot be removed

from the area, employers must ensure that

proper steps are taken to isolate the flammable or

combustible material from the heat generated by

the torch.

used for cutting steel scrap. Classic cutting torches

use gas, while other torches use plasma or powder,

or even water (although water torches are rarely

used for metal scrap). Thermal (gas) torches expose

employees to sprays of sparks and metal dust particles, to high temperatures, to bright light that could

damage eyes (light both inside and outside of the

visible spectrum), and to various gases. Old cutting

torches used pure hydrogen and oxygen, while

newer torches often use acetylene, propane, carbide, gasoline-oxygen or other mixtures. (Nijkerk

2001)

Compressed gases may be flammable and/or explosive or may present toxic or asphyxiant hazards if

leaks occur. Compressed gas cylinders can also

present explosion or missile hazards if exposed to

excessive heat or physical damage. OSHA standards at 29 CFR 1910, Subpart H establish general

and selected substance-specific requirements for

proper storage, handling, and use of compressed

gasses. Additional requirements for compressed

gasses used in certain types of welding and cutting

operations are provided in 29 CFR 1910, Subpart Q.

The use of torches presents an obvious fire hazard.

This hazard is of particular concern when working

on materials that have combustible or explosive

components such as motor vehicles with plastics

and fuel tanks, or objects with wooden interiors

(Nijkerk 2001). Disc-cutting is sometimes used to cut

scrap metal objects, particularly where the heat and

high temperatures of a gas torch would pose increased fire safety hazards.

Gas torches also involve storage of flammable and

explosive gases on site. Employers must store these

gases in safe locations and ensure that all equipment is in good working condition (i.e., detached or

punctured hoses can create a safety hazard for

nearby employees) (Nijkerk 2001). Employers must

ensure that gas tanks are inspected, tested, and appropriately labeled while in storage and prior to

movement and use. (NIOSH FACE; 29 CFR 1910.253)

Employers must ensure that employees use appropriate eye and face protection such as a welder’s

helmet and heatproof and or aluminum lined clothing to protect their bodies from the output of these

cutting operations, which have similar hazards to

welding.

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torches are often used for superconductors of heat

or heat-resistant metals, such as alloy steels containing nickel and/or chromium (Nijkerk 2001).

Plasma torches generate a large amount of smoke

and noise, as well as ultraviolet (UV) and infrared

(IR) light. Depending on the metal, this smoke could

contain toxic fumes or dusts. A discussion on the

potential chemical hazards and controls to reduce

exposures to these hazards can be found in the

“Recognizing and Controlling Hazards” chapter at

page 16. However, where exposures exceed OSHA

PELs, employers must install feasible engineering

controls or work practices to reduce employee exposures such as providing well-ventilated areas for

such operations. In addition, the employer should

place appropriate barriers around the process to

protect other nearby employees from exposure to

the UV and IR light. Employees performing these

tasks must use appropriate PPE such as respirators,

goggles or face shields with appropriate shaded

lenses, and hearing protection, to prevent exposure

to smoke, fumes, light, and noise. See 29 CFR

1910.134 for OSHA's standard on Respiratory Protection, 29 CFR 1910.95 for OSHA's standard on Occupational Noise Exposure, and 29 CFR 1910.133 for

OSHA's standard on Eye and Face Protection. Note,

a list of appropriate lens shade numbers for welding

and cutting tasks is also provided in 29 CFR

1910.133.

Employees using torches often spend long periods

of time in awkward or hunched postures, which may

increase the risk of bodily injuries such as strains

and sprains. Other hazards common to cutting operations (as well as to welding and brazing) include

burns, fires, explosions, electric shock, and heat

stress. Even chemicals that are generally not flammable may burn readily when vaporized. Larger

scrap metal objects are often broken apart using stationary shears, such as alligator shears used to cut

apart short steel for foundries or to cut nonferrous

metals. These machines can send small pieces of

metal flying. Such flying object hazards may be controlled through the use of shields set up around the

machines to protect employees. Eye protection and

other body protection such as metal lined abrasionresistant protective clothing may also be needed in

some cases.

A larger concern than flying objects, however, is that

the operator often works quite close to the machine

and is subject to amputation or crushing hazards. In

the early days of using shears, it was not uncommon for an employee to lose a finger or a hand to

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.106, Flammable and combustible

liquids

• 29 CFR 1910.132, General requirements

• 29 CFR 1910.133, Eye and face protection

• 29 CFR 1910.134, Respiratory protection

• 29 CFR 1910.135, Head protection

• 29 CFR 1910.136, Occupational foot protection

• 29 CFR 1910.137, Electrical protective devices

• 29 CFR 1910.138, Hand protection

• 29 CFR 1910.147, The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)

• 29 CFR 1910.212, General requirements for all

machines

• 29 CFR 1910.219, Mechanical power-transmission apparatus

• 29 CFR 1910.242, Hand and portable powered

tools and equipment (general)

• 29 CFR 1910.243, Guarding of portable powered

tools

• 29 CFR 1910.244, Other portable tools and

equipment

• 29 CFR 1910.252, General requirements (Welding, Cutting, and Brazing)

• 29 CFR 1910.253, Oxygen-fuel gas welding and

cutting

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Air Contaminants

• 29 CFR 1910.1018, Arsenic

• 29 CFR 1910.1025, Lead

• 29 CFR 1910.1026 Hexavalent Chromium

• 29 CFR 1910.1027, Cadmium

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Welding, Cutting, and Brazing,

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/weldingcut

tingbrazing/index.html

• OSHA Construction Safety and Health Outreach

Program: Safety and Welding,

http://www.osha.gov/doc/outreachtrain

ing/htmlfiles/welding.html

Non-GasTorch and Other Cutting

Materials that require higher temperatures to cut,

such as pig iron and heat-resistant alloyed scrap, or

materials that conduct heat too well to be cut with

thermal torches, such as copper and bronze, may be

cut with non-thermal methods such as plasma

torches or powder cutting torches. These tools may

also be used where a gas torch could pose a safety

hazard, as discussed in the previous section. Plasma

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which was still under pressure, closed upward on

the victim. (NIOSH FACE, 02CA004)

Preventive/corrective measures: Employees must

follow lockout/tagout procedures to de-energize

all equipment prior to cleaning or performing

maintenance.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.147, The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)

• 29 CFR 1910.212, General requirements for all

machines

• 29 CFR 1910.218, Forging

• 29 CFR 1910.219, Mechanical power-transmission apparatus

• 29 CFR 1910.242, Hand and portable powered

tools and equipment (general)

• 29 CFR 1910.243, Guarding of portable powered

tools

• 29 CFR 1910.244, Other portable tools and

equipment

• 29 CFR 1910.252, General requirements (Welding, Cutting, and Brazing)

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Air Contaminants

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Welding, Cutting, and Brazing,

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/weldingcut

tingbrazing/index.html

• OSHA Construction Safety and Health Outreach

Program: Safety and Welding,

http://www.osha.gov/doc/outreachtrain

ing/htmlfiles/welding.html

• OSHA 3170, Safeguarding Equipment and Protecting Employees from Amputations

Baling, Compacting and Shredding

Scrap metal is often compacted using balers to promote efficient melting by allowing more metal into a

furnace than would be possible for a random assortment of sheeting and other scrap objects. Balers use

powerful hydraulic systems to compact scrap metal.

Moving parts of balers must be shielded to prevent

body parts from coming in contact with the machine. Car flatteners work on many of the same principles as balers and present similar hazards.

Balers are typically automated machines. This allows operators to stay a safe distance from the mathe shears, or to have a hand trapped between

pieces of scrap that were fed into the shears. (Nijkerk 2001)

Hydraulic shears can be stopped instantly to prevent

damage to the machine or operator, whereas mechanical shears transmit force from a flywheel to the

shears and cannot be stopped quickly in an emergency. Hydraulic shears are, therefore, safer for the

operator. Both types of shears, however, are still

used in a variety of operations.

Modern alligator shears are often operated by a foot

pedal that stops the shear immediately if released

(Nijkerk 2001). Employers can also use controls such

as wrist straps (attached to cables) to keep employees’ limbs a safe distance from moving parts. One

way to distance shears from the operator is to attach

the shears to a crane. In this setup, the operator sits

inside the cab of the crane and demolishes objects

or cuts pieces of scrap metal from a safe location. If

the metal scrap is being cut from a building or other

object high off the ground, remote operation also

eliminates the safety hazards associated with working at heights.

Hydraulic guillotine shears work similarly to alligator

shears and pose similar hazards: employees must

remain at a safe distance from the point of operation

so that no limbs or other body parts could contact

the cutting mechanism. Employers must install

shields around stationary cutting areas to protect

employees from flying objects.

When a tough or complex piece of scrap damages a

machine, that machine may be more likely to malfunction and to pose a hazard to the operator and to

other nearby employees. As a result, machines

should have periodic inspections and should be

maintained in proper working order. For all types of

shears, employees must follow the company’s established procedures for de-energizing energy

sources and for lockout/tagout when performing

servicing or maintenance tasks (see the OSHA Lockout/Tagout standard at 29 CFR 1910.147).

Case History #6

A 52-year-old welder was crushed to death by a

hydraulic door on a scrap metal shredder. The victim was attempting to remove a jammed piece of

metal from the hydraulic door when the incident

occurred. Prior to removing the jam the victim did

not lockout or de-energize the system. When the

piece of metal was cut away, the hydraulic door,

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propriate guards must be installed to prevent employees from coming into contact with hazardous

moving parts of the machinery. This applies to the

alligator and guillotine shears discussed above, and

also to other similar machines such as rotary shears

and rotary shredders. For such equipment, employees need to stay a safe distance away from working

machinery and take adequate safety precautions to

minimize risks. Employers must install shields to

block stray pieces of metal scraps from flying out

from these machines and employees must be

trained to know what materials can or cannot be fed

into the machine to prevent malfunctioning.

In addition to the physical hazards associated with

baling, compacting and shredding, these processes

also produce significant amounts of dusts. These

dusts, if not controlled, can present both explosion

hazards and inhalation hazards. Some ways to control these hazards include:

• Installing proper air cleaning systems on shredding machines.

• Installing explosion sensors where appropriate to

inject water to suppress explosions.

• Operating machinery at lower speeds to reduce

dust generation.

• Introducing an inert gas to rotary shears to reduce the risk of explosion. (Nijkerk 2001)

• Providing supplemental ventilation where

needed and perhaps respiratory protection to

protect employees from exposure to hazardous

dusts.

• Using wet or semi-wet shredding processes.

Some scrap materials such as scrap vehicles or refrigerators may contain fuels or other materials that

introduce additional hazards to the process. Operators must be sure to remove these materials before

introducing the scrap to process machinery. For example, gasoline must be removed from the gas tank

of scrap automobiles before compacting or shredding the automobile. In addition, chloroflourocarbons (CFCs) and ammonia must be removed from

air conditioning systems to prevent employee exposure to these irritants and to prevent the release of

these gases to the atmosphere. Removal of CFCs

also applies to shredding of refrigerators.

Many of the processes above use large amounts of

electricity to operate. Employees must be aware of

the hazards of working in high-voltage environments and should take appropriate precautions. All

equipment power systems must be covered with

chinery, however, employees must still exercise caution when feeding raw material into a baler using a

hopper or conveyor belt. Again, some sort of physical restraint such as railings may be appropriate to

keep employees from falling onto these machines.

Some paper balers and shredders have sensors or

heat detectors installed that react to human body

heat and automatically stop all machine operations.

For others, employees may wear magnetic or other

devices on their belts that are linked to a safety interlock system (Nijkerk 2001). Systems such as these

could be applied to some metal balers and shredders to provide additional protection to employees

(both from metal and from contaminants in the

scrap). Employees must be trained to understand

the functioning and safety procedures of their equipment, and must follow procedures for adequate

control of hazardous energy, particularly when performing maintenance procedures on equipment.

(NIOSH FACE; 29 CFR 1910.147)

Case History #7

A 34-year-old laborer died after falling into an operating paper baler. The victim and a coworker

were loading scrap paper into an automatically

operated paper baler via a belt conveyor. The victim ascended to a platform located between the

conveyor discharge and the feed chute of the

paper baler to clear jammed material. Before ascending, the victim had asked the coworker to

shut down the conveyor so that he could clear

the jam. After shutting down the conveyor, the

coworker turned away to get more paper. The

victim fell into the baling chamber and the baler

ram automatically activated. (NIOSH FACE, 9715)

Preventive/corrective measures: Employees

must follow lockout/tagout procedures to deenergize all equipment prior to cleaning or performing maintenance. Employers must install

guards on machinery to prevent any employees

from contacting moving parts. Where access to

process machinery is necessary, employers

should consider installing standard railings

using gates interlocked with the machine's control system. When the gates are opened, the machine will shut down.

For all equipment where pieces of scrap metal are

fed into a machine directly, or using a hopper, or

even via conveyor belt, employees must be trained

in the proper use of the equipment. In addition, apG U I D A N C E F O R T H E I D E N T I F I C A T I O N A N D C O N T R O L O F

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oxides, and carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.

Organic compounds may be emitted as heating vaporizes oil and grease on scraps (EPA 2001). In addition, heating or burning of certain plastics (such as

plastic-coated wiring) may release phosgene or

other hazardous substances. Emissions from fluxing

typically include chlorides and fluorides. The highest

concentrations of ‘fugitive’ emissions (i.e., gases

and vapors that escape from equipment) occur

when the lids and doors of a furnace are opened

during charging, alloying, and other operations (EPA

2001). Employers should ensure that workplaces are

well-ventilated, consider the use of local exhaust

ventilation during these operations, and that emissions from furnaces are filtered before the air is released outside the facility.

Afterburners can be used to control organic compounds, carbon monoxide, chlorides, fluorides, and

hydrochloric acid; fabric filters can be used to control metal oxide dust, chlorides, fluorides, and hydrochloric acid; wet scrubbers can be used to

control metal oxide dust, sulfur oxides and sulfuric

acid mist; and electrostatic precipitators or fabric filters can be used to control particulate or other matter. These are used in different setups depending on

the specific recycling industry. EPA (2001) discusses

control methods for some recycling industries. For a

full listing of hazardous air pollutants associated

with some metal recycling processes, such as aluminum production, lead smelting, iron foundries

and steel foundries, see EPA’s Emission Inventory

Improvement Program (EIIP), Vol. II, Table 9.2-1.

(EPA 2001)

For information on ventilation, refer to the “Examples of Engineering and Work Practice Control Techniques to Reduce Emissions” section at page 29.

Case History #8

A 22-year-old male foundry laborer was electrocuted when a piece of scrap metal he was loading

into a damaged electric induction furnace became

energized. The refractory had developed an unusual degree of cracking, and molten metal

seeped out of the refractory and solidified. This

material was in contact with the frame, but not

the coil. Two employees lowered the scrap into

the furnace, which already contained molten

steel. The victim was resting his thighs on the top

edge of the frame. The furnace was jarred, and

presumably more molten metal was released

through the cracks, completing the circuit benon-conducting covers that require a tool to remove. High-voltage areas must be protected to prevent access to unauthorized individuals. Employers

must create a lockout/tagout program and train employees on proper implementation of these procedures.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.147, The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)

• 29 CFR 1910.212, General requirements for all

machines

• 29 CFR 1910.219, Mechanical power-transmission apparatus

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Air Contaminants

Melting and Baking in Furnaces

and Ovens

Many scrap metal recycling operations heat scrap

pieces to high temperatures to separate different

metal components, increase the purity of scrap,

bake out non-metal substances, burn off contaminants, remove insulation from wire, or otherwise

process the metal scrap (EPA 2001). This may be

done using furnaces or ovens that use fuel or electrical heating sources.

Employees near operational furnaces are exposed

to hazards even if they do not work directly with the

furnace. Heating scrap will generate metal fumes if

the furnace temperature is above the melting point

of any of the metals in the furnace. In addition, hot

pieces of metal could jump from the furnace, creating

fire or burn hazards to nearby locations or people.

Similar to many of the processes already discussed,

electrical furnaces use large amounts of electricity at

high voltages to melt the metal scrap. Employees

near these furnaces could face an electrocution hazard if they come into contact with a furnace in an

unsafe manner. Employers must ensure that furnace

refractories are kept in good condition and that employees follow electrical safety guidelines. Employers should ensure that there is sufficient room for

employees to work safely in the vicinity of energized

furnaces. For example, an employer may establish a

maximum scrap metal size and weight for each type

(and size) of furnace that they operate. (NIOSH

FACE)

Furnaces generate smoke, dust, and metal fumes,

depending on temperature and content. Combustion by-products may include sulfur and nitrogen

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• The resulting forms of these materials following

any reaction.

• By-products.

• Special cleaning agents.

• The equipment used for the process.

As with every hazardous chemical introduced into

the workplace, all employees who are potentially exposed must be trained in the hazards associated

with that chemical category. This requirement and

other provisions of OSHA's Hazard Communication

standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) are discussed in the

“What You Need to Know about Hazard Communication” section of the “Recognizing and Controlling

Hazards” chapter of this guide.

The most probable emissions from these processes

include metal fumes and vapors, organic vapors,

and acid gases. Other potential hazards may include

high amounts of heat, splashing of caustic or otherwise hazardous chemicals, or combustion hazards.

Employers should be knowledgeable about the

processes that are used in their recycling operations

and should refer to MSDSs to obtain specific information regarding potential exposure to any other

substances used in recycling processes. Employers

must comply with OSHA PELs. They may also want

to consider other recommended exposure limits

(such as National Institute for Occupational Safety

and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limits

(RELs)) for the chemicals used or produced in these

processes.

One common process involves the use of aqua regia

solution to remove gold from gold-plated objects.

Aqua regia is a mixture of two corrosive acids. This

process emits acid fumes that are dangerous to inhale. Employers using aqua regia or similar solutions (cyanide may also be used) must implement

feasible engineering controls, such as a fume hood

to remove fumes from the workspace. Employers

must also ensure that employees wear gloves and

an apron to prevent skin or eye contact with the

aqua regia solution. Not all glove and apron materials protect from all corrosive substances, so

employers need to pay special attention to the capabilities of the PPE used. For additional information

on PPE, refer to the “Personal Protective Equipment” section in the “Recognizing and Controlling

Hazards” chapter of this guide.

After smelting or separation, metal may be refined

in an electrolytic process in which anodes from the

tween the coil and the contents of the refractory.

Current passed through the piece of scrap, the

victim’s body, and to ground through the frame.

(NIOSH FACE, 89OH43)

Preventive/corrective measures: Employers

should institute a regular inspection and maintenance program for all of their equipment. When

problems with equipment arise, the equipment

should be tagged and removed from service until

it is repaired.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.147, The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)

• 29 CFR 1910.212, General requirements for all

machines

• 29 CFR 1910.219, Mechanical power-transmission apparatus

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Air Contaminants

• 29 CFR 1910.1018, Inorganic Arsenic

• 29 CFR 1910.1025, Lead

• 29 CFR 1910.1026, Hexavalent Chromium

• 29 CFR 1910.1027, Cadmium

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA Construction Safety and Health Outreach

Program: Safety and Welding,

http://www.osha.gov/doc/outreachtrain

ing/htmlfiles/welding.html

• EPA (2001) Emission Inventory Improvement

Program (EIIP), Vol. II, Table 9.2-1.

Applying Chemical Processes to

Recycle Metals

Chemical processes are also used in a wide range of

metal scrap recycling industries as a means to separate scrap into its component metals, to clean scrap

metal prior to using physical processes, to remove

contaminants (such as paint) from scrap material, or

to extract selected metals from a batch of scrap containing many metal types. Chemical processes may

include high-temperature chlorination, electrorefining,

plating, leaching, chemical separation, dissolution, reduction, or galvanizing. Each of these processes may

present specific safety and health hazards associated

with how the process is carried out, as well as specific

material hazards associated with:

• The starting reagents for the process.

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Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Sampling and

Analysis, http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/sampling

analysis/index.html

• EPA Emission Inventory Improvement Program,

Volume II, Chapter 9: Preferred and Alternative

Methods for Estimating Air Emissions from

Secondary Metal Processing. (EPA 2001)

Metals that OSHA Regulates

OSHA regulates the workplace exposure to many

toxic metals and their oxides. These metals are

listed in 29 CFR 1910.1000 along with employee exposure limits and include the following:

Table 1. OSHA-Regulated Toxic Metals

Aluminum Hafnium Silver

Antimony Iron Tantalum

Arsenic Lead Tellurium

Barium Magnesium Thallium

Beryllium Manganese Tin

Bismuth Mercury Titanium

Boron Molybdenum Uranium

Cadmium Nickel Vanadium

Calcium Osmium Yttrium

Chromium Platinum Zinc

Cobalt Rhodium Zirconium

Copper Selenium

OSHA also has comprehensive substance-specific

standards for hexavalent chromium (29 CFR

1910.1026), arsenic (29 CFR 1910.1018), cadmium

(29 CFR 1910.1027), and lead (29 CFR 1910.1025).

Each of these standards establishes workplace PELs

as well as specific requirements for personal monitoring, medical surveillance, engineering controls,

respiratory protection, and training.

Many of these metals do not pose any hazard to

people who handle objects containing the metal in

everyday use. In fact, low levels of many of these elements are needed for the human body to function.

However, hazards exist when these metals are

ground, blasted, roasted, or melted and fumes or

metal dusts are produced and distributed in the air.

Each of these metals may create health hazards to

employees recycling scrap that contains even trace

amounts of that metal.

Employers can typically determine the level at which

a metal (or other hazardous chemical) poses a hazsmelting process are placed in an electrolytic cell

that contains a cathode and an electrolyte such as

sulfuric acid; the metal is deposited on the cathode.

In such operations, employees must be aware not

only of the hazards posed by the acid used as the

electrolyte and the metal involved but also of the

hazards posed by the electrical system.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.147, The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)

• 29 CFR 1910.212, General requirements for all

machines

• 29 CFR 1910.219, Mechanical power-transmission apparatus

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Air Contaminants

• 29 CFR 1910.1200, Hazard Communication

Recognizing and Controlling

Hazards

How to Determine the Hazard Levels of

Various Processes

Metal scrap recycling operations present a wide variety of hazards, including health hazards associated

with chemical exposures and safety hazards associated with material processing operations and the

equipment used in these tasks. This section discusses the metals that may present hazards to employees in recycling operations, the exposure routes

through which employees may be exposed to that

metal and the potential health effects from that exposure. This section also addresses other chemical

hazards of special note (e.g., metalworking fluids

and radioactive material), and discusses ways that

employers and employees can identify and control

these hazards. Finally, the section discusses some

ways that employers and employees can decrease

the risks of employee exposure to these hazards.

There is little data available to describe the level of

air contaminants associated with specific metal

scrap recycling operations. Employers and managers need to analyze the levels of various hazardous substances directly, using personal and area

monitoring devices to assess employee exposures.

After doing this, employers must comply with all

OSHA standards. Employers may also want to consider recommendations by NIOSH (i.e., RELs) to determine the need for additional controls (e.g.,

engineering controls, PPE).

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• OSHA Hazard Communication Web Page

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/hazardcommunica

tions/index.html

What You Need to Know about

Arsenic Exposure

The United States has not produced primary arsenic

since 1985. All arsenic for domestic needs is imported, primarily from China (arsenic trioxide and

arsenic metal) and Japan (arsenic metal). Historically, approximately 90% of the domestic use of arsenic was for chromated copper arsenate (CCA), a

wood preservative that is now being phased out for

residential uses due to concerns over toxicity. Some

coal is rich in arsenic and arsenic is sometimes

found in coal pollution. Arsenic compounds and arsenic metal are also used in electronics, pigments,

and metal alloys, and are sometimes used in glassmaking. There is also limited demand for arsenic

metal to be alloyed with lead and antimony for ammunition, solders, and other applications. (USGS

2001)

Arsenic may be found in contaminated workplace

air resulting from smelting operations, in recycling

facilities that deal with various nonferrous metal

alloys, or with electronic semiconductors. Arsenic

exposure can occur in the workplace through inhalation, ingestion, or dermal contact.

Exposure to high concentrations of arsenic can

cause sore throats or irritated lungs. Breathing inorganic arsenic over long periods of time can cause

damage to blood vessels and nerves in the hands

and feet. Redness or swelling may result from skin

contact with inorganic arsenic (ATSDR 2000a). Occupational studies have found increased risk of lung

cancer among employees exposed to inorganic

arsenic for many years. IARC and NTP classify inorganic arsenic as a known human carcinogen. (IARC

2006a; NTP 2004)

OSHA has a substance-specific standard regarding

exposure to inorganic arsenic in general industry, 29

CFR 1910.1018. This standard sets a PEL of 10 μg/m3

and outlines workplace requirements for the protection of employees from arsenic exposure including

provisions for exposure monitoring, preferred methods for exposure control, written exposure control

program, respiratory protection, protective work

clothing and equipment, medical surveillance, and

employee information and training.

ard to employees by referring to the OSHA PELs

listed in 29 CFR 1910, Subpart Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances. Employers can obtain additional

information on chemical hazards by referring to the

NIOSH RELs listed in the NIOSH Pocket Guide to

Chemical Hazards. Information on exposures associated with specific health effects of the OSHA-regulated toxic metals can be found in the references

cited in this guidance document.

In cases where employees could be exposed to multiple hazardous metals or other hazardous substances at the same time or during the same

workday, employers must consider the combined

effects of the exposure in determining safe exposure

levels. In such cases, employers must consult

OSHA's standard, 29 CFR 1910.1000(d)(2), to determine how to apply exposure limits to exposure situations involving multiple hazardous substances.

Chemicals evaluated and found to be a suspected,

anticipated, or known human carcinogen by authoritative scientific organizations, such as the National

Toxicology Program (NTP) or the International

Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) may warrant

special consideration at any level of exposure.

Employers must also rely on chemical manufacturers' data (such as MSDSs) when determining the

hazards of workplace chemicals.

The remainder of this section discusses the health

effects of selected commonly recycled metals that

may be encountered during recycling operations. It

also discusses where employees may encounter

these metals. This discussion begins with a detailed

description of six metals for which OSHA has provided comprehensive standards and/or guidance.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.19, Special provisions for air contaminants

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Air Contaminants

• 29 CFR 1910.1018, Inorganic Arsenic

• 29 CFR 1910.1025, Lead

• 29 CFR 1910.1026, Hexavalent Chromium

• 29 CFR 1910.1027, Cadmium

• 29 CFR 1910.1200, Hazard Communication

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Toxic Metals,

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/metalsheavy

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lung. These immune system cells attack the beryllium particles, leading to damage that can result in

scar tissue in the lungs. This prevents the affected

portion of the lung from functioning properly (Hathaway, Proctor, et al. 1991). There is no known cure

for CBD (OSHA 1999b). Symptoms of CBD include

persistent coughing, difficulty breathing upon physical exertion, fatigue, chest and joint pain, weight

loss, and fevers. CBD only develops in employees

sensitized to beryllium. A sensitized employee is an

employee who has developed an allergic reaction to

beryllium. Exposure to beryllium, possibly even

below OSHA’s PEL, may sensitize an employee to

beryllium, placing that employee at elevated risk of

CBD. (Bechtel 2001)

Many years ago, employees who breathed very high

levels (>100 μg/m3) of beryllium dust and fumes,

even for a short period of time, developed acute

beryllium disease (ABD). This disease rarely occurs

in modern industry due to improved industrial protective measures designed to reduce exposure levels. ABD is caused directly by inflammation of the

respiratory tract from irritation due to tissue exposure to beryllium itself. Symptoms associated with

ABD include difficulty breathing, cough, and chest

pain and occur much more rapidly than CBD symptoms. (Lang 1994) ABD may lead to death or respiratory illness similar to pneumonia.

Beryllium has been classified as a known human

carcinogen by NTP and IARC (NTP 2004; IARC

2006a). Occupational studies reported excess lung

cancer mortality among employees engaged in

beryllium production and processing during the

1930s to 1960s. Exposure to large amounts of beryllium metal and beryllium compounds in the lungs of

experimental animals has led to increased lung cancer. (ATSDR 2002)

As noted in the 1999 OSHA Hazard Information Bulletin, the current eight-hour time-weighted average

(TWA) permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 2 μg/m3

may not adequately prevent CBD among exposed

employees (OSHA 1999c). Control of dusts or fumes

is the main preventative measure. Industries that

work with beryllium should consider their ventilation systems, employee PPE, and workplace monitoring for hazardous levels of beryllium. For

additional control information, refer to the “How to

Control Hazards” section of this guide.

Beryllium sensitization can be detected through the

use of a blood test called the BeLPT, which stands

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.19, Special provisions for air contaminants

• 29 CFR 1910.1018, Inorganic Arsenic

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Toxic Metals,

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/metalsheavy/index.

html

• ATSDR Toxicology Frequently Asked Questions

(ToxFAQs), http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html

What You Need to Know about

Beryllium Exposure

Beryllium is used in alloy forms, as a metal, and as

beryllium oxide. Beryllium is mined from two minerals, beryl and bertrandite. The United States is one

of three countries that process beryllium ores. Most

of the beryllium is sold to the domestic market, in

sectors such as communications and computers,

automotive electronics, industrial components, and

optical media. (USGS 2001)

The most likely place for employees to encounter

beryllium is the processing of alloy metals containing beryllium (http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/metals

heavy; http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/beryllium/index.

html). Beryllium is often used as a metal in aerospace and defense applications, or as beryllium

oxide in high-density electronics circuits (USGS

2001). Both of these sources may be recycled at

some recycling plants. Beryllium is also used in copper and aluminum alloys and in sporting equipment

such as golf clubs. Beryllium copper (a type of scrap

metal that may contain high levels of beryllium) is

processed by melting it in a furnace. Employees located near those furnaces may be exposed to beryllium fumes. Beryllium copper scrap is sometimes

processed by other methods, such as chemical and

electrolytic separation; thermal reduction and burning; melting and pyro-metallurgical separation; and

milling (IPMI 2001). The melting process used for

some other scrap metals may also generate fumes

that can contain beryllium. (IPMI 2001)

Employees who breathe relatively low levels of

beryllium dust and fumes may develop the lung ailment, chronic beryllium disease (CBD). CBD can develop over a few months or can take many years to

develop. The disease occurs as a result of a person's

immune system attacking beryllium present in the

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Cadmium is a toxic metal commonly found in smelting operations. Cadmium hazards exist for recycling

employees cutting apart pieces of metal scrap with

gas torches, and employees near furnaces that melt

such alloys. Overexposure to cadmium may occur

even in situations where only trace quantities of

cadmium are found in the raw material or in smelter

dust or fumes.

Nickel-cadmium (NiCad) batteries are one of the

main sources of scrap cadmium (USGS 2003). Recycling of large NiCad batteries, usually weighing over

2 kg, typically involves emptying the electrolytes

from the battery and dismantling the battery (cutting

off the tops). The cadmium plates are detached,

washed, dried and then sent to a recycling facility

where the cadmium would be loaded into the furnace. Cadmium in smaller batteries is typically recovered by burning off the castings and separators

in a furnace. Exposures to cadmium in NiCad recycling operations typically are associated with work

near the recycling furnaces.

Historically, cadmium was also used as a pigment

in industrial paints and may present a hazard to

employees when welding, cutting, or shredding

scrap coated with cadmium-containing paints.

Cadmium emits a characteristic brown fume (CdO)

upon heating, which is relatively non-irritating. Several deaths from acute exposure occurred in welders

who welded on cadmium-containing alloys or worked

with silver solder.

Short-term exposure to high concentrations of airborne cadmium may lead to metal fume fever with

flu-like symptoms such as weakness, fever,

headache, chills, sweating and muscle pain. Acute

pulmonary edema (excess fluid in the lungs) usually develops within 24 hours, reaching a maximum in three days: if death due to asphyxiation

does not occur, then symptoms may resolve

within a week (http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/metals

heavy; http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/cadmium/

index.html).

Longer-term exposure to lower levels of cadmium

may cause lung or prostate cancer, kidney damage, and hypertension. Cadmium is also believed

to cause pulmonary emphysema, bone disease,

and possibly anemia, teeth discoloration and loss

of smell (http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/metalsheavy;

ATSDR, 1999a). Cadmium is classified as a known

human carcinogen by IARC and NTP (IARC 2006a;

for beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test. This test

measures how specific white blood cells called lymphocytes react to beryllium. A confirmed positive

test result means that an employee is sensitized

(OSHA l999c). While it is not known whether everyone who is sensitized will develop CBD, many exposed employees who were confirmed positive with

the BeLPT already had CBD or were diagnosed with

the disease at a later time.

All employees who could potentially be exposed to

beryllium in the workplace should be taught to recognize the following symptoms as possible signs of

CBD: unexplained cough; shortness of breath; fatigue; weight loss or loss of appetite; fevers; and/or

skin rash. These employees should also be encouraged to talk to their doctor or other health professional about CBD and getting a BeLPT blood test

regardless of symptoms. (OSHA 1999c)

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Air Contaminants

• 29 CFR 1910.134, Respiratory Protection

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Toxic Metals:

Beryllium http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/beryllium/

index.html

• 10 CFR Part 850, Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program, Final Rule. (Department of Energy, 9 Feb. 2006)

• OSHA. Preventing Adverse Health Effects from

Exposure to Beryllium,

http://www.osha.gov/dts/hib/hib_data/

hib19990902.html.

• IARC 1997, Beryllium and beryllium compounds,

http://www.inchem.org/documents/iarc/

vol58/mono58-1.html

• EPA 1998, Beryllium and compounds,

http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0012.htm

What You Need to Know about

Cadmium Exposure

The worldwide production of cadmium was approximately 19,400 tons/year in 2005. In the U.S., only

three companies produced cadmium in 2006: one

produced cadmium as a by-product of the smelting

and refining of zinc while the other produced cadmium from scrap, primarily nickel-cadmium (NiCd)

batteries. (USGS 2007)

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His condition continued to worsen; he was hospitalized two days later and died three weeks

later. (OSHA IMIS)

Preventive/corrective measures: Employers are

required to monitor employees’ exposure to

cadmium in all situations where employees

may be exposed. If the monitoring indicates exposure to cadmium above the PEL, employers

must implement a full cadmium compliance

program including provisions for engineering

controls, warning signs, emergency plans, and

PPE, among others.

For additional details on control measures, refer to

the “How to Control Hazards” section of this guide,

at page 28 or to the OSHA website section on Toxic

Metals.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.1027, Cadmium

• 29 CFR 1910.19, Special provisions for air contaminants

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA 3136, Cadmium http://www.osha.gov/

Publications/osha 3136.pdf

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Toxic Metals,

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/metalsheavy/index.

html

What You Need to Know about Hexavalent

Chromium Exposure

Chromium exists in several physical states; the most

common states are chromium metal (Cr0), trivalent

chromium (CrIII) and hexavalent chromium (CrVI).

Chromium (in its various states) has a wide range

of uses in metals, chemicals, and refractories.

Chromium metal is principally used to produce

stainless steel, alloy steels, and other nonferrous alloys to improve structural and anticorrosive properties. (USGS 2005)

Hexavalent chromium and trivalent chromium compounds are often used in electroplating of metals

and plastic substrates to improve corrosion resistance. Chromates (CrVI) are also used as pigments

in paints, plastics, dyes and inks to impart corrosion

resistance, heat stability, color and other qualities.

Other major industrial uses of hexavalent chromium

NTP 2004). Additional information is available in

Cadmium, OSHA Publication 3136.

OSHA has a substance-specific standard regarding

exposure to cadmium in general industry, 29 CFR

1910.1027, that establishes a PEL of 5 μg/m3. This

standard also contains additional requirements for

the protection of employees from cadmium exposure such as provisions for exposure monitoring,

preferred methods for exposure control (including

the use of separate engineering control limits (or

SECALS) in selected operations), written exposure

control plans, respiratory protection, protective work

clothing and equipment, medical surveillance, and

employee information and training. OSHA Publication 3136 provides additional details on these requirements.

Case History #9

A 36-year-old man was poisoned with cadmium

fumes after smelting lead. Cadmium exposures

can occur during lead processing since lead concentrates contain small amounts of cadmium

which exist naturally in the environment. The patient developed pulmonary edema and died on

the fifth day after exposure. (PIM 1990)

Preventive/corrective measures: All employers

who use cadmium must monitor employees

for exposure. In cases where employees are

exposed above the PEL, employers must implement a full cadmium compliance program including provisions for engineering controls,

warning signs, emergency plans, and PPE,

among others.

Case History #10

An employee used an oxyacetylene torch to perform demolition work on a bridge which

spanned a creek. He was assigned to salvage

guardrails on the bridge and to also salvage a

gauge shelter which was mounted on a platform

next to the bridge. While wearing no respiratory

protection, he spent the morning cutting anchor

posts and bolts to remove the bridge rails; these

were later found to be cadmium-coated. After

lunch, he worked to remove the gauge shelter

which was anchored to the platform on both an

exterior and interior flange. Wearing no respirator, the employee entered the shelter and cut the

bolts with the torch; these were galvanized. The

employee felt ill after coming out of the shelter.

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and for corrosion resistance and color characteristics (as pigments) in paints.

Lead is the most recycled metal, when compared to

percentage output (ISRI NDc) with the U.S. as the

world’s largest recycler of lead scrap. Most recycled

lead comes from batteries where the primary

process involves breaking and smelting used batteries. (EPA 1995)

The lead in used batteries is often in the form of lead

oxide, which easily forms inhalable particles. When

working with old batteries, employees should also

be aware of the corrosive acid contaminated with

lead (Washington 2002). Lead-acid batteries are

processed by:

• Draining the acid.

• Dismantling the battery using hammer mill and

grinding.

• Washing and tumbling.

• Treating individual components by desulfurization.

• Feeding this to a blast furnace or electric reduction furnace to recover raw lead. (USGS 1999)

OSHA has developed the Secondary Lead Smelter

eTool (http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/lead

smelter) to describe ways to reduce lead exposure

to employees in lead smelting plants, with sections

that focus on Raw Materials Processing, Smelting,

Refining and Casting, Environmental Controls, and

Maintenance. Many of the discussions that this

eTool provides on smelting and processing of lead

should give insights into hazards that may be encountered by employees that deal with lead scrap

recycling.

Secondary processing of lead battery scrap and

other materials recycled with that scrap typically

produce air emissions containing other hazards including sulfur dioxide and particulate matter containing lead and cadmium (EPA 1995). For further

information on the potential hazards from exposure

to cadmium, refer to the “What You Need to Know

about Cadmium Exposure” section of this guide.

Recyclers may also encounter lead when working

with scraps coated with paints containing lead (especially scraps originating from bridge dismantling

and rehabilitation and shipyards). Lead dust can be

created by grinding, cutting, drilling, sanding, scraping or blasting surfaces coated with lead paints.

Lead fumes can be created by using heat guns or

other heating techniques to remove paint from surcontaining compounds are in catalysts, as a wood

preservative, and as a chemical intermediate to produce chemicals for leather tanning. (OSHA 2006)

Employees in the metal recycling industry can be exposed to hexavalent chromium when chromium-containing materials are heated such as during melting or

welding of chromium alloys such as stainless steel or

a substrate with chromium protective coating.

The major illnesses associated with occupational

exposure to hexavalent chromium are lung cancer,

nasal septum ulcerations and perforations, asthma,

skin ulcerations and allergic and irritant contact dermatitis (OSHA 2006). Hexavalent chromium is classified as a known human carcinogen by IARC and

NTP. (IARC, 2006a; NTP 2004)

OSHA has a substance-specific standard regarding

exposure to hexavalent chromium in general industry, 29 CFR 1910.1026, that establishes a PEL of 5

μg/m3

. The standard also includes provisions for

employee protection such as preferred methods for

exposure control, respiratory protection, protective

work clothing and equipment, housekeeping, medical surveillance and communication of hazards.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.1026, Hexavalent Chromium

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Hexavalent

Chromium http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/hexava

lent chromium/index.html

• OSHA 3320, Small Entity Compliance Guide for

the Hexavalent Chromium Standards

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA_small_

entity_comp.pdf

• ATSDR Toxicology Frequently Asked Questions

(ToxFAQs),

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html

What You Need to Know about

Lead Exposure

The United States is the world’s third-largest primary producer of lead. Eighty percent of the lead

ore mined domestically comes from Missouri. In

1993, the lead industry employed 600 employees in

primary smelting and 1,700 employees in secondary

smelting and refining.

Lead is used primarily in batteries. Other uses include ammunition, sheathing on electrical cables,

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Lead poisoning is a topic of extreme concern in the

medical community. Employees that encounter lead

at work must take precautions so that they do not

accidentally take lead dust into their homes through

contaminated workplace shoes or clothes. For example, employees must not be allowed to leave the

facility wearing the clothes that they wore during

their work shift, which may be contaminated with

lead dust.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.1025, Lead

• 29 CFR 1910.19, Special provisions for air contaminants

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA, Lead: Secondary Smelter eTool,

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/leadsmelter/

index.html

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Toxic Metals,

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/metalsheavy/index.

html

What You Need to Know about

Mercury Exposure

The United States relies on recycled material and

imports to meet its mercury needs; no U.S. mine

has recovered mercury as its main product in over a

decade. Some domestic companies recover mercury as a by-product of other metals. Several companies recover and refine mercury; the largest end

uses for this mercury are the production of chlorine

and of caustic soda. (USGS 2002)

Mercury is typically used in electrical applications

such as thermometers and other gauges, valves,

switches, batteries, and high-intensity discharge

lights; it is used in amalgams for dentistry, in preservatives, in pigments, catalysts, and lubricating oils,

and in heat transfer technology. The most common

environments where exposure is likely to occur are

during production and transportation of mercury,

and mining and refining of gold and silver ores

(http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/metalsheavy/index.

html). Mercury and its compounds exist in three

general forms; elemental (metallic) mercury, inorganic mercury, and organic mercury.

Mercury may be present in any industry that works

with mercury or with materials that contain trace

amounts of mercury. Recycling of mercury lamps is

faces, or by using heated cutting tools to cut

through painted metal. (NYSDOH 2001)

Lead is also recycled from solder, cable covering,

building construction materials, and residues and

drosses from smelter-refinery operations (USGS

2001). Employees may be exposed to lead during

any of these processes.

Overexposure to lead is one of the most commonplace overexposures in industry. OSHA has established the reduction of lead exposure as a high

strategic priority. Lead is a systemic poison and

overexposure to lead can damage blood-forming,

nervous, urinary, cardiovascular and reproductive

systems and may cause cancer (ATSDR 1999b,

Navas-Acien 2007). Lead accumulates in the body

over time and remains in the blood for a month, in

organs for several months, and in bones for years

(NYSDOH 2001). Lead affects:

• the brain and nervous systems

• reproductive capabilities

• kidneys

• cardiovascular system

• the digestive system

• the ability to make blood

Inorganic lead is classified as a reasonably anticipated human carcinogen by NTP and as a probable

human carcinogen by IARC. (NTP 2004; IARC 2006b)

Early signs of lead poisoning include:

• tiredness

• headache

• metallic taste in the mouth

• poor appetite

Later signs include aches or pains in the stomach,

constipation, muscle and joint pains, and memory

problems. (NYSDOH 2001)

Employees who may have been exposed to lead

should talk to a doctor or other health professional.

Your doctor may order a blood lead test which will

measure the body’s lead levels.

OSHA has a substance-specific standard regarding

exposure to lead in general industry, 29 CFR

1910.1025. This standard establishes a PEL of 50

μg/m3 and includes additional employee protection

provisions such as preferred methods of control,

protective work clothing and equipment, housekeeping, hygiene facilities and practices, medical

surveillance and employee training.

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was absorbed into the professor’s body was estimated to be less than one-tenth of a milliliter (approximately 300 mg), or the equivalent of a single

small droplet.

Dimethyl-mercury is absorbed through the skin

and is potentially lethal in small doses. Exposure

appeared to have occurred through the employee’s gloves. This death by organic mercury

poisoning was directly attributable to use of the

wrong type of glove material for the chemical involved. (OSHA IMIS)

Preventive/corrective measures: Employees must

be trained in proper selection and use of PPE (in

this case, the correct type of gloves) and must be

required to use this PPE when handling hazardous substances. Employees that believe they

have been exposed to any level of hazardous materials should report the suspected exposure to

their employer and seek medical attention

promptly.

Case History #12

An employee was told to clean up some mercury

that had spilled out of a device. Three days later

he went to an emergency room for neurological

problems. After two more days, he was moved to

another medical facility for further treatment.

(OSHA IMIS)

Preventive/corrective measures: Employees must

be trained in proper spill cleanup procedures, including proper selection and use of PPE when

handling hazardous substances. If regular employees are unable to effectively and safely manage potential spills, the employer must either

evacuate the area or have an emergency response plan in place to manage uncontrolled

spills or other releases. Employees who believe

that they have been exposed to hazardous substances should inform their employer and

promptly seek medical attention.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.132, Personal Protective Equipment, General Requirements

• 29 CFR 1910.134, Respiratory Protection

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Air Contaminants

one industry that is at risk for exposure to mercury.

Emissions testing in 1999 showed that facilities that

process steel scrap could be a large source of mercury emissions (Sastry et al. ND). Other sources include electronic devices such as rectifiers, switches,

thermostats, relays; thermometers; dental amalgams; and catalysts used in the production of chlorine and caustic soda (USGS 2001). Employees may

be exposed to mercury when smelting metals that

contain trace levels of mercury, or when smelting involving processes that use mercury. Employees

could also be exposed to mercury when collecting

or otherwise processing gauges containing mercury.

Exposure to high levels of metallic, inorganic, or organic mercury can permanently damage the brain,

kidneys, and developing fetus. Mercury’s effects on

brain functionality may result in changes in mood or

personality (such as irritability or shyness), tremors,

changes in vision or hearing, and memory problems. Short-term exposure to high levels of metallic

mercury vapor may cause adverse effects including

lung damage, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, increases

in blood pressure or heart rate, skin rashes, and eye

irritation. (ATSDR 1999d)

In addition to the OSHA PEL for mercury (29 CFR

1910.1000, Table Z-2), OSHA has published guidelines in CPL 02-02-006, Inorganic Mercury and its

Compounds, for protecting employees from occupational exposure to inorganic mercury. These guidelines provide suggestions for exposure monitoring,

medical surveillance, training, PPE, housekeeping,

and personal hygiene facilities and practices. (OSHA

1978, 1985)

Case History #11

A college chemistry professor spilled a few drops

of dimethyl-mercury on the back of her gloved

hand while the chemical was being transferred

between containers. She promptly cleaned up

and did not think any more about it. This was the

only time the material was handled outside of a

closed container.

The first symptoms did not occur until two

months later, and they were ascribed to gastroenteritis. Neurological symptoms appeared after an

additional two months, and she died five months

later of organic mercury poisoning.

A lapse time between exposure and the appearance of symptoms is characteristic of alkyl mercury poisoning. The amount of the chemical that

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cause skeletal problems in those with poor kidney

function. High levels of aluminum were found in

people with Alzheimer’s disease, but it is not known

whether the aluminum is a cause of this disease.

(ATSDR 1999c)

Antimony is derived primarily from the recycling of

lead-acid batteries (USGS 2002). It may be found in

the air near industries that process or release it, including smelters, coal-fired power plants, and refuse

incinerators. Occupational overexposure to antimony has been reported to result in eye and respiratory tract irritation, chronic lung disease, and

possibly cardiovascular and gastrointestinal effects.

(ATSDR 1992a)

Cobalt exposure may be a problem for employees

who make or use grinding or cutting tools, or that

refine or process cobalt metals, or that use cobalt or

produce cobalt alloys. Cobalt is typically processed

in an electric arc furnace operating under reducing

conditions to adjust cobalt’s chemical composition,

or by roasting of spent catalysts, chlorination or

leach milling, or by other chemical processes

(USGS 1999; Jones 1998). Most recycled cobalt

comes from used catalysts from the petroleum and

chemical industries, cemented carbides used in cutting and wear-resistant applications, rechargeable

batteries, superalloys, magnetic- and wear-resistant

alloys, and tool steel (USGS 2001). Occupational

overexposure to cobalt can result in respiratory irritation, chronic lung inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis. Possible cardiac and neurological effects

have also been reported. Skin contact can cause an

allergic contact dermatitis (ATSDR 2004a). IARC has

classified metallic cobalt containing tungsten carbide as probably carcinogenic to humans and other

cobaolt compounds as possibly carcinogenic to humans. (IARC 2006c)

Copper may be present in dust in industries that

grind or weld copper metal. Direct metal scrap (primarily alloy scrap) is the main source of copper

scrap, with other copper scrap coming from copper

smelters and refiners, brass mills, brass and bronze

ingot makers, aluminum and steel alloy producers,

foundries, and chemical plants (USGS 2001). Employees might breathe, or have skin contact with

this dust. Occupational overexposure to copper dust

can irritate the eyes, nose and lungs and possibly

lead to gastrointestinal disturbance. (ATSDR 2004b)

Iron and steel are used in construction and industrial

uses including vehicles, bridges, machinery, tools,

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Toxic Metals,

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/metalsheavy/index.

html

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Emergency

Preparedness and Response,

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergency preparedness/index.html

• ATSDR Toxicology Frequently Asked Questions

(ToxFAQs),

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html

• OSHA (1978) CPL 02-02-006 Inorganic Mercury

and its Compounds

• OSHA (1985) CPL 02-02-006 CH-1 Removal of

Obsolete Sections

What You Need to Know about Exposure

to Other Metals

OSHA has published extensive information on arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, hexavalent chromium,

lead, and mercury. In addition to these metals, employers should also limit employee exposure to all

other hazardous metals handled or processed in

metal scrap recycling operations. This section of the

guide discusses additional metals for which OSHA

and other agencies have collected health information. The section also notes some of the common

processing techniques for those metals, where information was available.

The current PELs for each of the metals discussed in

this section can be found in 29 CFR 1910.1000, Table

Z-1 or Z-2. NIOSH has recommended exposure limits for a number of these metals. The NIOSH RELs

can be found in the NIOSH Pocket Guide available

online at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/default.html.

These exposure limits are summarized in Appendix

A of this guide.

Aluminum is one of the most commonly recycled

metals and can be hazardous to employees in recycling operations. Scrap aluminum mostly comes

from recycled used beverage cans (UBCs), which account for over half of the recycled aluminum supply.

The other main source is diecasts, which are mostly

from the automobile industry (USGS 2001). Employees who process aluminum scrap might be exposed

to high levels of aluminum dust in workplace air

during pre-processing steps that involve crushing

and/or shredding and drying. Aluminum may cause

respiratory problems, including coughing and possibly asthma from breathing dust, and it may also

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Nickel may be present as fumes or as dust in industries that process nickel scrap. Nickel is used in

stainless steel, copper-nickel alloys, aluminum alloys, and nickel-based alloy, and is used in electroplating and welding products. Employees may be

exposed to nickel by breathing fumes, by ingesting

dust, or via skin contact. Other sources include

emission control dusts, swarf, grindings, mill

waste, and waste from the stainless steel industry

(USGS 2001). Skin exposure to nickel dust can

cause an allergic contact dermatitis, often at the

skin site where the contact occurred. Some occupational studies of employees exposed to nickel

compounds have found increased risk of lung and

nasal cancer among employees (ATSDR 2005a).

Most nickel compounds are classified as known

human carcinogens by IARC and NTP (IARC 2006a;

NTP 2004). Employees who inhale large amounts

of nickel may suffer from inflammation of the respiratory tract, chronic bronchitis or reduced lung

function. (ATSDR 2005a)

Selenium may be present in the air at some metal

processing facilities typically as elemental selenium

or selenium dioxide. Selenium uses are: as a substitute for lead in plumbing when alloyed with bismuth

and in electronics including rectifier and photoelectric applications (USGS 2001). Occupational

overexposure to selenium may lead to eye, skin,

respiratory tract irritation, bronchitis, and breathing

difficulties. (ATSDR 2003)

Silver is used in solder, which may be found with

many types of scrap metal. Silver is found in photographic plates and solutions, and in silver recovery

cartridges (VADEQ 2001). Other large sources of

scrap silver include jewelers’ sweepings, catalysts,

electronic scrap, and other metal materials (USGS

2001). Exposure to high levels of silver for a long period of time may result in argyria, which is a bluegray discoloration of skin and other body tissue.

Argyria is permanent but it does not have any

known health effects. Lower levels of silver exposure can also cause silver deposition in areas of the

body. A study found that 21% and 25% of silver

reclamation employees exhibited conjunctival and

corneal argyrosis, respectively, and that 74% of the

subjects exhibited some degree of internal nasalseptal pigmentation. The route of exposure may

have been direct absorption by the eyes. No association was observed between these depositions and

decreased visual ability (ATSDR 1990). Exposure to

high levels of silver can also cause breathing problems, lung and throat irritation, and stomach pain. In

buildings, containers, highways, and appliances.

The primary source of obsolete steel is automobiles

(USGS 2001). Steel is often coated with aluminum,

chromium, lead-tin alloy, tin, or zinc (refer to the sections on those metals for information on their hazards). Steel mills melt scrap in electric arc furnaces

or basic oxygen furnaces, or in blast furnaces

(USGS 1999). Iron oxide is a red-brown fume with a

metallic taste that can affect the respiratory system

and damage the lungs after breathing high concentrations over many years. (http://www.osha.gov/

SLTC/metalsheavy). Exposure to iron pentacarbonyl

is acutely toxic and can cause acute lung damage

(http://www.osha.gov/dts/chemicalsampling/data/CH

_247500.html), however, this form of iron may not

be commonly encountered in recycling operations

since it is used as a chemical intermediate or catalyst and, therefore, is not in the final products. (ISP,

ND)

Manganese is ubiquitous throughout the various

grades of steel (averaging 0.7% manganese), and

can also be found as a component in certain aluminum alloys. The main material recycled for its

manganese content is high-manganese (Hadfield)

steel, otherwise manganese is mostly recycled incidentally when recycling steel and aluminum (USGS

2001). Manganese exposures can occur during operations at steel and aluminum recycling facilities

which consist of segregating scrap by content and

cutting up bulky pieces as well as the melt and refining processes (USGS 1999). Short-term exposure to

high levels of manganese can result in respiratory

tract irritation and inflammation of the lungs. Manganese exposure, at high levels over a longer period

of time, can cause manganism, a set of Parkinsonlike symptoms that include mental and emotional

disturbances, difficulty walking, and slow and

clumsy body movements. Long-term exposure to

manganese at lower levels may cause deterioration

of certain motor skills (such as holding hands steady

or performing fast movements) and balance.

(ATSDR 2000c)

Molybdenum is mostly recycled from catalysts.

Molybdenum is also found in alloy iron and steel

scrap, where it is recycled to produce steel products

(USGS 2001). Employees can be exposed to molybdenum dust during the processing of scrap which

involves cutting, cleaning, and baling, and possibly

calcining, drying, leaching, precipitation, and separation. Roasting, crushing, and abrading may be

used in preparation for melting (USGS 1999)

(http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/metalsheavy).

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Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Toxic Metals,

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/metalsheavy/index.

html

• ATSDR Toxicology Frequently Asked Questions

(ToxFAQs),

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html

What You Need to Know about

Radioactive Scrap

Scrap recycling industries may encounter radioactive metal scrap (Nijkerk 2001). This scrap could consist of scrap from decommissioned nuclear power

plants (steel, galvanized iron, copper, Inconel, lead,

bronze, aluminum, brass, nickel, precious metals),

industrial and research irradiator activities, teletherapy, industrial radiography, medical equipment,

gauges, logging, and pipes from the potash industry

(Legare ND), or from other sources.

Radioactive materials may pose adverse health effects to employees, including cancer. Employees

could be exposed to radioactive material or dust

when contaminated materials are crushed or

ground. If radioactive materials or objects are

smelted, sealed sources of radioactivity may rupture

and release their radioactive contents. Radioactive

scrap in an uncontrolled setting in a processing facility may cause problems with the machinery, and

require an extensive cleanup effort and possible

temporary shutdown of the facility.

To detect radioactive material when it enters the recycling facility, employers can install a radiation

monitoring system to detect gamma radiation emitting from source materials. These systems are expensive to purchase and expensive to calibrate and

maintain. It is also possible to monitor incoming

material with hand-held radiation detection devices

which can monitor for alpha, beta, and gamma radiation, but these devices may be less sensitive and

they require more operator skill. (Smith ND)

Fixed radiation-monitoring systems are generally installed at the loading area of a scrap facility, typically

at the weigh bridge. Factors such as the type of radiation emitted, the distance from monitors, shielding,

and background radiation may affect the ability of

the monitoring systems to register all radioactivity. It

may be necessary to install multiple fixed radiationmonitoring systems to monitor the same batch of

scrap metal; common locations to install such syssome people, skin contact with silver can cause allergic reactions such as rashes, swelling, and inflammation.

Tin is recycled from can-making facilities, brass and

bronze plants, and soldering operations (USGS

2001). De-tinning involves removal of tin from new

or old tinplate scrap by immersion in a heated

sodium hydroxide solution, a batch process that reverses the tin electroplating process (USGS 1999).

Employees could potentially have airborne exposures from fumes and dermal exposures from material handling. Inorganic tin compounds typically

enter and leave the body rapidly and they do not

usually cause harmful effects. Overexposure to organic tin compounds can cause respiratory, eye, and

skin irritation and interfere with the normal operation of the nervous, endocrine, and reproductive

systems. (ATSDR 2005b)

Vanadium may be present as a vapor or particulate

in air at facilities that work with scrap metal containing vanadium. Vanadium is primarily an alloying element generally less than 1%; the main supply of

vanadium scrap for recycling comes from used catalysts (USGS 2001). Overexposure to vanadium can

cause harmful health effects to the respiratory tract

(such as lung irritation, inflammation, and bronchitis), and can irritate the eyes (ATSDR 1992b). Vanadium pentoxide is classified as a possible human

carcinogen by IARC. (IARC 2006c)

Zinc is found as dust or fumes in air at manufacturing sites, and at recycling sites. The chief sources of

zinc scrap are brass, die casting scrap, flue dust,

zinc sheet, galvanizing residues, and zinc die casts

(USGS 2001). Zinc is processed by boiling secondary zinc alloys and then capturing the purified zinc in

a distillation column, or by casting galvanized

residues into slabs, melting the slabs in furnaces

and then condensing the zinc fumes. A more recent

process involves dissolving the zinc coating from

scrap in a hot caustic solution and then recovering

the zinc from the solution using an electrolyte

process (USGS 1999). Some zinc is needed for

proper body function, but high levels may be hazardous. Breathing large amounts of zinc can cause

metal fume fever, which is thought to be an immune

response that affects the lungs and body temperature. (ATSDR 2005c)

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Air Contaminants

2 6

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration
What Other Hazards You Should

Know About

In addition to the toxicological hazards discussed in

the preceding sections, employees may face hazards from trace metals mixed into the scrap, or from

materials and chemicals associated with the scrap

such as gasoline in old cars, flammable and hazardous plastics surrounding cables, paint on used

beverage cans, or from metalworking fluids used to

process metals. Some metals are processed by oxidation/reduction or other chemical processes which

may release harmful gases or harmful gaseous

forms of the metal being processed.

The equipment used to process scrap metal may include physical processes that cut, slice, compact,

shred, or perform other operations. These pose hazards to machine operators and those who work in

close proximity to machine points of operation.

In addition, employers must also consider:

• Fire hazards from flammable metals or other

substances.

• Explosion hazards from gas canisters, tanks, or

cylinders, or from particles in the air.

• Injury from falling objects.

• Burns and scalding from hot air or hot materials.

• Other process-specific safety hazards such as

amputation, acid burns, electrical hazards, confined spaces, etc.

Employers need to evaluate their metal scrap recycling operations to identify hazards present in their

processes and to develop control measures. Employers should evaluate each piece of equipment to

identify related hazards and to determine the best

ways to control or eliminate hazards.

OSHA has guidance documents to assist you in considering many of these hazards.

Case History #13

An employee mixed sodium nitrate and aluminum out of sequence in a secondary lead

smelter factory. As a result, the pot of lead exploded, burning and scalding 12 employees with

molten lead. Five employees were hospitalized for

more than one week. One employee died approximately 35 days after the accident as a result of the

injuries he sustained. (OSHA IMIS)

Preventive/corrective measures: Employees

should pay close attention to sequence when

tems are at the shredder or furnace entry, or at a

conveyor or sorting station. (Legare ND)

Employers should work with their suppliers to ensure that no radioactive materials are delivered and

should also install radiation detectors as appropriate.

Working with radioactive materials can cause various

types of cancer. There are no early warning signs for

cancer. Exposure to large doses of radiation could

also lead to acute radiation syndrome which includes

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding, coma, and even

death. Employers must communicate the hazards of

radioactive materials to employees and should set

clear instructions on how to remove any radioactive

materials that are discovered.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.1096, Ionizing radiation

What You Need to Know about

Metalworking Fluids

Metalworking fluids (MWFs), or sometimes called

machining fluids, are “fluids used during machining

and grinding to prolong the life of the tool, carry

away debris, and protect the surfaces of workpieces.

These fluids reduce friction between the cutting tool

and the work surface, reduce wear and galling, protect surface characteristics, reduce surface adhesion

or welding and carry away generated heat.” (NIOSH

98-116). Employees are unlikely to encounter MWF

in conjunction with the scrap metal they process,

however, they may encounter MWF in the course of

using various heavy machinery (such as hydraulic

shears) to cut apart pieces of scrap metal. MWFs

may contain toxic substances; skin exposure to

MWF in liquid forms, or breathing in vapors/mists

from MWF, can cause dermatitis, acute and chronic

respiratory disease, skin cancer and other cancers

(OSHA 1999a). Precautions for working with MWF

include ventilation, PPE, and training for relevant

procedures. Similar precautions apply to solvents

used for cleaning metal scrap prior to processing.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Air Contaminants

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Metalworking

Fluids, http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/metalworking

fluids/

• NIOSH 98-116, What You Need to Know About

Occupational Exposure to Metalworking Fluids

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In all cases, employers must ensure that operators

are fully trained to use their industrial equipment or

vehicle and use caution during operation. Employers

must ensure that defective equipment is removed

from service until it has been repaired. Only trained

employees should operate industrial equipment and

vehicles.

Employers may need to design, develop and implement a comprehensive safety plan that includes, but

is not limited to, analysis and control of vehicle- and

machine-related hazards through use of a daily

checklist. Equipment must be de-energized when

employees are attempting to clean out fallen or

jammed material. Employers must make sure that all

electrically powered equipment complies with applicable electrical standards (29 CFR 1910 Subpart S).

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S Electrical

• 29 CFR 1910.1000 Air Contaminants

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA 3162, Screening and Surveillance: A

Guide to OSHA Standards

• OSHA 3170, Safeguarding Equipment and Protecting Employees from Amputations

• OSHA 2254, Training Requirements in OSHA

Standards and Training Guidelines

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Machine

Guarding, http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/machine

guarding/index.html

• OSHA Lockout/Tagout eTool, http://www.osha.

gov/dts/osta/lototraining/index.htm

Engineering Controls and

Work Practice Controls

Engineering controls and work practice controls are

the primary means by which an employer can attempt to reduce employee exposure to the hazards

of toxic metal scraps and the equipment used to

process those scraps.

Examples of engineering and work practice controls

include:

• Enclosing processes where employees do not

constantly need direct access to the machinery.

• Using product substitution to eliminate harmful

substances.

• Installing an exhaust system to capture the airborne hazardous metal at the source.

mixing certain groups of chemicals. Employers

should provide written procedures for conducting

hazardous processes. Where possible, these

processes should be conducted in isolated areas

of the facility.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR Subpart L, Fire protection

• 29 CFR 1910.106, Flammable and combustible

liquids

How to Control Hazards

There are many ways to reduce the hazards the

metal scrap recycling industry poses to employees.

Engineering controls (for example, adding machine

guards or barriers or installing ventilation, etc.) or

work practice controls (such as establishing standard operating procedures or requiring the use of

PPE) can place a safer distance between an employee and a potentially dangerous material or

process. Employees must be protected (using engineering and work practice controls) from potentially

harmful materials, and from the dust and fumes

generated by these materials and the recycling

processes. Workplaces should be well ventilated to

remove dust and fumes from the air employees

breathe. Employers must fully communicate the

hazards of their operations to employees in such a

way as to reduce those hazards.

Additionally, employers may need to conduct medical testing or medical surveillance to determine

whether the exposure levels of certain metals and

other substances have placed employees at risk.

Medical surveillance is an important hazard prevention tool that can help employers detect and eliminate hazardous exposures that may be affecting

employee health. Periodic medical testing is also

important to help ensure prompt diagnosis and

treatment of employees suffering adverse health affects related to exposures (http://www.osha.gov/

SLTC/medicalsurveillance). Further information on

medical screening and medical surveillance is available in OSHA 3162, Screening and Surveillance: A

Guide to OSHA Standards.

The following sections outline some safety recommendations that are specific to certain operations, but

many recommendations are common to a range of

physical operations. Employers should become familiar with available resources on safety standards

and safe work practices.

2 8

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration
Examples of Engineering and Work Practice Control

Techniques to Reduce Emissions

Some common engineering control techniques to

reduce emissions to the atmosphere include:

• Wet scrubbers for dust (particulate matter) and

acid gases. Scrubbers work by passing the material through a liquid that absorbs the dust. Liquids are selected based on their ability to

maximize pollutant removal.

• Thermal and catalytic incineration for organic

compounds. Incineration uses burners and

chambers to ignite fuel and to allow oxidation to

occur.

• Cyclones, electrostatic precipitators (ESPs), and

fabric filters, for filterable dust (EPA 2001). Cyclones work like centrifuges, spiraling incoming

gases to cause heavier particulate matter to drop

out of the air to a surface to be collected. Electrostatic precipitators use electrical static forces to

collect particles out of a gas stream and onto

collection plates. Fabric filters (baghouses) pass

a gas stream through a porous fabric: the particles form a layer of dust that can be removed.

Other examples of common engineering controls:

• Adding machine guards or barriers.

• Local exhaust ventilation, which includes both

portable ventilation systems and stationary

hoods, is generally the preferred method to control emissions in the workplace. For example,

cutters with local exhaust ventilation.

Employers should ensure that employees avoid prolonged skin contact with hazardous metals and

other hazardous substances either through controlling fugitive emissions or providing appropriate

PPE. In most cases, employers must not use compressed air to clean working surfaces or body parts.

Ventilation is one of the main engineering controls

used to control exposure to chemical hazards in the

workplace. There are two basic types of ventilation

systems used for this purpose: general exhaust ventilation which provides ventilation for an entire room

or area and local exhaust ventilation which provides

local exhaust at a specific work area or process.

General exhaust ventilation (i.e., dilution, ventilation) allows materials to be released into the general

atmosphere of the workplace and then introduces

uncontaminated air to reduce concentrations of dust

or vapor to acceptable levels. General exhaust ventilation may be appropriate where:

• Installing guard devices at nip points where employees could come into contact with moving

parts of machinery.

• Equipping all machinery with prominently-displayed and properly-functioning stop buttons, or

a stop cable running the length of a conveyor

belt or other equipment.

• Using explosion-proof electrical systems to reduce hazards associated with flammable materials or other combustibles.

Employers should also consider the use of alternate

processes as a way to reduce hazards. For example,

in some situations, employees can use other methods to cut scrap such as shears or power saws that

may lower employee exposure to some toxic metals

(e.g., hexavalent chromium) when compared to

torch cutting. However, alternative methods such as

saws and shears can still produce dust and noise

and create certain safety hazards.

Work practice controls involve changing employee

procedures and practices to reduce exposure to

some substances. For example, employers may not

allow employees to eat, drink, smoke, chew tobacco

or gum in areas where hazardous chemicals are

used or present. Both the lead and cadmium standards forbid eating or storage of food, consumption

of tobacco products and application of cosmetics in

regulated areas or areas where exposures have

been measured above the PEL.

In addition to engineering and work practice controls, employers can implement administrative controls. For example, to reduce the number of

employees at risk during a hazardous operation, an

employer may consider performing the hazardous

task during times when fewer individuals are present in the work area.

OSHA substance-specific standards for arsenic, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and lead contain provisions for change rooms and hygiene facilities such

as showers and handwashing and luncheon facilities. Employers must also follow other requirements

regarding clean surfaces; cleanup of spills and releases; and cleaning methods that minimize the risk

of dispersing hazardous dust into the air. Refer to

the specific OSHA standards for these metals for

further information on these topics. Employers can

also apply these controls for recycling operations

that involve other metals to help minimize the possibility of spreading contamination beyond work

areas.

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hazards cannot be eliminated through the use of engineering, work practice, or administrative controls.

A PPE program must identify and evaluate potential

hazards in the workplace and indicate whether the

use of PPE is an appropriate control measure. If PPE

is required, the program must address selection,

use, and maintenance procedures, as well as employee training and periodic reviews to evaluate its

effectiveness in preventing employee injury or illness.

OSHA Publication 3151, Personal Protective Equipment, discusses PPE and the ways that employers

and employees can identify hazards requiring PPE.

For example, employees exposed to various safety

hazards from operating heavy equipment may require adequate body protection including head and

foot protection, gloves, durable clothing, hearing

protection and safety glasses. Hazards from skin

contact with materials can be addressed through the

use of gloves and other protective clothing. A wide

variety of chemical protective suits are available,

and if such protection is needed employers must ensure that the suits used are appropriate for the materials of concern.

Some of the most significant hazards are associated

with employee exposure to metal dust or fumes, so

respiratory protection is a very important consideration. Respirators are required when exposures exceed the PEL and engineering and work practice

controls are infeasible or insufficient. They may also

be required in an emergency or in a designated regulated area.

Employers must provide respirators at no cost to

employees, and ensure that respirators are used in

compliance with applicable standards (29 CFR

1910.134). Respirators can be broken down into two

general types, air purifying and supplied air. Air purifying respirators are typically tight fitting respirators that use replaceable filters to clean the air

locally before the person breathes that air. They can

have a facepiece that covers the whole face or one

that just covers the mouth and nose. Supplied air

respirators can be broken down into two categories,

air-line respirators and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Air-line respirators connect the

wearer’s facepiece to a remote source of air either in

a bottle or an air compressor. SCBA units supply air

to users through an air tank worn on the user’s back.

Additional information on respirators is available in

OSHA’s Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Re-

• The contaminants released into the air constitute

a low hazard.

• The contaminants are unlikely to settle.

• Emission is widely dispersed or uniform.

Local exhaust ventilation is designed to capture and

remove hazardous dusts, vapors, or fumes at their

source before they can enter the general work

space. Local exhaust ventilation (such as chemical

hoods) may be appropriate where the materials released pose a high hazard or are highly localized;

where air does not already circulate adequately to

eliminate the hazard; or where employees work in

close proximity to the emission source.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.94, Ventilation

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Air Contaminants

• 29 CFR 1910.1018, Arsenic

• 29 CFR 1910.1026, Hexavalent Chromium

• 29 CFR 1910.1025, Lead

• 29 CFR 1910.1027, Cadmium

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Ventilation,

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/ventilation/

Personal Protective Equipment

While engineering controls and work practice controls are the primary means of reducing exposure to

hazardous chemicals and processes, they are not always completely effective. In such cases, PPE may

be used to reduce employee exposure. OSHA requires the use of PPE to reduce employees’ exposures to hazards when engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or effective in reducing these exposures to acceptable levels (29 CFR

1910, Subpart I). PPE may include respirators, coveralls or other full-body clothing, gloves, head coverings, boots, face shields, earplugs and vented

goggles.

Employers are required to determine all exposures

to hazards in their workplace, and to determine if

PPE should be used to protect employees. Employers must provide PPE for their employees if the work

environment or processes present a hazard or are

likely to present a hazard to any part of an employee’s body; or if an employee might come into

contact with hazardous chemicals, radiation, or mechanical irritants; and potential exposure to these

3 0

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration
The Need to Provide Hearing Protection

Noise is a pervasive occupational health problem.

According to NIOSH, 30 million employees are occupationally exposed to hazardous noise, and about

one-third of these people have noise-induced hearing loss, nearly all caused by occupational exposure

to hazardous noise levels. (NSC 2000)

OSHA requires employers to make hearing protectors and audiometric testing available to all employees exposed to 8-hour TWA noise levels of 85 dB or

above. Employees must wear hearing protection if

exposures to noise levels are 90 dB or above (8-hour

TWA) or above 85 dB (8-hr. TWA) for employees

who have experienced a standard threshold shift.

These requirements are set to ensure that employees have access to protectors before they experience significant hearing loss. (29 CFR 1910.95)

Employees that work with or near heavy machinery

including melting furnaces, or material handling

equipment may need hearing protection for protection from noise hazards. The incidence of noiseinduced hearing loss can be reduced, or often

eliminated, through the successful application of

engineering controls and hearing conservation programs. For example, employers can install soundproofing to enclose loud processes or equipment to

stop loud noises from traveling to all work areas. If

engineering controls are not adequate to eliminate

problematic workplace noise, employees can use

hearing protection devices such as earplugs, canal

caps, or earmuffs.

For additional information regarding OSHA requirements and guidance on hearing protection, refer to

OSHA 3074, Hearing Conservation. To ensure compliance, employers should also refer directly to the

OSHA standards in 29 CFR 1910.95.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.95, Occupational Noise Exposure

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA 3074, Hearing Conservation

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Noise and

Hearing Conservation,

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/noisehearing

conservation/

• National Safety Council, Safeworker,

http://www.nsc.org/pubs/sw.htm

vised Respiratory Protection Standard, Publication

9071, available online at http://www.osha. gov/Publications/SECG_ RPS/secg_rps.html or

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/secgrevcurrent.pdf

Employees using metalworking fluids or chemical

baths to dissolve or clean metal scrap may be at

added risk of hazardous chemicals spraying onto

their bodies or heads and would need appropriate

protection. Employees that use high-temperature

gas torches need eye protection for flying pieces of

scrap and for different types and intensities of light

and possibly full-body protection from the extreme

heat generated by some gas torches. Employees

who weld or torchcut stainless steel must be informed of the hazards of hexavalent chromium that

is generated in the process and can be inhaled with

the fumes.

Employers must dispose of and/or properly clean,

launder, repair, and replace PPE. Employees should

not be allowed to take work clothing or equipment

home or off the work site, and are prohibited from

doing so under OSHA’s Cadmium standard, 29 CFR

1910.1027, and Hexavalent Chromium standard, 29

CFR 1910.1026. Employers subject to OSHA’s Arsenic and Lead standards (29 CFR 1910.1018 and

1910.1025, respectively) must train their employees

on the hazards related to exposure to contaminated

clothing. Employers should provide clearly-marked

containers for PPE and maintain separate storage

areas for work clothes and street clothes. Further

PPE suggestions are discussed along with each

process, earlier in this document.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.132, General requirements

• 29 CFR 1910.133, Eye and face protection

• 29 CFR 1910.134, Respiratory protection

• 29 CFR 1910.135, Head protection

• 29 CFR 1910.136, Occupational foot protection

• 29 CFR 1910.137, Electrical protective devices

• 29 CFR 1910.138, Hand protection

• 29 CFR 1910.1018, Arsenic

• 29 CFR 1910.1025, Lead

• 29 CFR 1910.1026, Hexavalent Chromium

• 29 CFR 1910.1027, Cadmium

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Ventilation,

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/ventilation/

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The HCS provides employees the right to know the

hazards and identities of the chemicals they are exposed to in the workplace. When employees have

this information, they can effectively participate in

their employers’ programs and take steps to protect

themselves.

Specifically, employees need to know about:

• The requirements of the HCS.

• Any operation in their work area where hazardous chemicals are present and the nature of

the operations that could result in exposure to

these substances.

• The physical and health hazards of chemicals in

the work area.

• Work practices and other measures employees

can take to protect themselves from potential

hazards such as emergency procedures and personal protective equipment needed.

• The location and availability of the written hazard

communication program.

• The content of applicable OSHA standards.

OSHA Publication 3111, Hazard Communication

Guidelines for Compliance, and OSHA Publication

3084, Chemical Hazard Communication, discuss the

requirements of the HCS in more detail. These documents discuss labeling, MSDS procedures, and

other hazard communication requirements. Employers must consider special communication needs to

ensure comprehension of the contents of the training program.

The substance-specific standards for Arsenic (29

CFR 1910.1018), Lead (29 CFR 1910.1025), Hexavalent Chromium (29 CFR 1910.1026), and Cadmium

(29 CFR 1910.1027) also establish requirements (e.g.,

employee training, labeling, and posting of warning

signs) for communicating the hazards associated

with these metals to potentially exposed employees.

Employers must refer to these standards for specific

information on related hazard communication requirements.

Applicable Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.1200, Hazard Communication

• 29 CFR 1910.1018, Arsenic

• 29 CFR 1910.1025, Lead

• 29 CFR 1910.1026, Hexavalent Chromium

• 29 CFR 1910.1027, Cadmium

What You Need to Know about Hazard

Communication

Employees in the recycling industry may come in

contact with a wide range of hazardous materials in

their workplace. These materials may include the

metals and scrap materials themselves as well as

any chemicals used or produced in the recycling

processes. Employers must ensure that employees

are trained on the hazards of the metals and other

substances that are in their recycling plants. In addition, employers must ensure that employees are

trained on emergency procedures and that employees can obtain the required information immediately

in the event of an emergency. Employees must be

trained to wear appropriate PPE and to recognize situations where PPE is needed.

OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard (HCS) (29

CFR 1910.1200) describes how employers are to

identify and convey information about various workplace chemical hazards. The HCS requires chemical

manufacturers and importers to evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce or import and

provide information about these hazards and associated protective measures to downstream users

through container labels and material safety data

sheets (MSDSs). All employers with hazardous

chemicals in their workplaces must develop and implement a written hazard communication program

that includes provisions for container labeling, employee access to MSDSs and training for all potentially exposed employees.

Manufacturers and importers are required to provide information on the scrap metal they sell to recyclers. Manufacturers are also required to pass on

any information they have regarding known contaminants of the scrap, as would be the case if cutting fluids were present. This information must, in

turn, be given to the downstream users by the scrap

recycler. However, the HCS does not require employers to create labels and MSDSs when they scrap

manufactured articles, such as equipment, piping,

radiators and furniture, when the employer scrapping the item did not manufacture it and does not,

in fact, possess an MSDS for the item. Regardless,

employers should check with their scrap supplier to

determine if MSDSs and labels or other hazard information are available. If a scrap supplier obtains

an MSDS from a manufacturer or distributor, the

scrap supplier must make that MSDS available to

any downstream user upon request.

3 2

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration
G U I D A N C E F O R T H E I D E N T I F I C A T I O N A N D C O N T R O L O F

S A F E T Y A N D H E A L T H H A Z A R D S I N M E T A L S C R A P R E C Y C L I N G

3 3

Sources of Additional Information

• OSHA 2254, Training Requirements in OSHA

Standards and Training Guidelines

• OSHA 3084, Chemical Hazard Communication

• OSHA 3111, Hazard Communication Guidelines

for Compliance

• OSHA Hazard Communication

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/hazard

communications/index.html
3 4

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration

National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health (NIOSH)

• NIOSH. FACE. NIOSH Fatality Assessment and

Control Evaluation (FACE) Program. Online

database. http://www.cdc.gov/ niosh/face

• NIOSH 98-116. What You Need to Know About

Occupational Exposure to Metalworking Fluids.

• NIOSH, 2005 NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical

Hazards.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(OSHA) Standards

• 29 CFR 1910.19 – Special provisions for air contaminants

• 29 CFR 1910.94 – Ventilation

• 29 CFR 1910.95 – Occupational Noise Exposure

• 29 CFR 1910.106 – Flammable and combustible

liquids

• 29 CFR 1910.119 – Process safety management

of highly hazardous chemicals

• 29 CFR 1910.132 – General requirements

• 29 CFR 1910.133 – Eye and face protection

• 29 CFR 1910.134 – Respiratory protection

• 29 CFR 1910.135 – Head protection

• 29 CFR 1910.136 – Occupational foot protection

• 29 CFR 1910.137 – Electrical protective devices

• 29 CFR 1910.138 – Hand protection

• 29 CFR 1910.147 – The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)

• 29 CFR 1910.176 – Handling materials – general.

• 29 CFR 1910.178 – Powered industrial trucks

• 29 CFR 1910.179 – Overhead and gantry cranes

• 29 CFR 1910.180 – Crawler locomotive and

truck cranes

• 29 CFR 1910.181 – Derricks

• 29 CFR 1910.184 – Slings

• 29 CFR 1910.212 – General requirements for all

machines

• 29 CFR 1910.219 – Mechanical power-transmission apparatus.

• 29 CFR 1910.242 – Hand and portable powered

tools and equipment (general)

• 29 CFR 1910.243 – Guarding of portable powered tools

• 29 CFR 1910.244 – Other portable tools and

equipment

• 29 CFR 1910.252 – General requirements (Welding, Cutting, and Brazing)

• 29 CFR 1910.253 – Oxygen-fuel gas welding

and cutting

• 29 CFR 1910.1000 – Air Contaminants

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Table Z-1 – Limits for Air

Contaminants

References

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

• ANSI Z87.1-2003, Occupational and Educational

Eye and Face Protection Devices

• BSR Z89.1-1997, Industrial Head Protection

• ANSI Z9.1, Open SurfaceTanks Operation

• ANSI Z9.2, Fundamentals Covering the Design

and Operation of Local Exhaust Systems

• ANSI Z9.3, Design, Construction, and Ventilation of Spray Finishing Operations

• ANSI Z9.4, Ventilation and Safe Practice of

Abrasive Blasting Operations

• ANSI Z9.5, Laboratory Ventilation

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

(ATSDR)

• ATSDR. 1990. Toxicological Profile for

Silver.

• ATSDR. 1992a. Toxicological Profile for

Antimony.

• ATSDR. 1992b. Toxicological Profile for Vanadium.

• ATSDR. 1999a. Toxicological Profile for Cadmium.

• ATSDR. 1999b. Toxicological Profile for Lead.

(Update).

• ATSDR. 1999c. Toxicological Profile for Aluminum. (Update).

• ATSDR. 1999d. Toxicological Profile for Mercury. (Update).

• ATSDR. 2000a. Toxicological Profile for Arsenic

(Update).

• ATSDR. 2000b. Toxicological Profile for

Chromium (Update).

• ATSDR. 2000c. Toxicological Profile for Manganese.

• ATSDR. 2002. Toxicological Profile for Beryllium. (Update).

• ATSDR. 2003. Toxicological Profile for Selenium. (Update).

• ATSDR. 2004a. Toxicological Profile for Cobalt.

(Update).

• ATSDR. 2004b. Toxicological Profile for Copper.

(Update).

• ATSDR. 2005a. Toxicological Profile for Nickel.

(Update).

• ATSDR. 2005b. Toxicological Profile forTin.

• ATSDR. 2005c. Toxicological Profile for Zinc.

(Update).

• ATSDR. ND Toxicology Frequently Asked Questions (ToxFAQs), http://www.atsdr.cdc. gov/toxfaq.html
G U I D A N C E F O R T H E I D E N T I F I C A T I O N A N D C O N T R O L O F

S A F E T Y A N D H E A L T H H A Z A R D S I N M E T A L S C R A P R E C Y C L I N G

3 5

Guide to OSHA Standards

• OSHA 3170, Safeguarding Equipment and Protecting Employees from Amputations

• OSHA 3320, Small Entity Compliance Guide for

the Hexavalent Chromium Standards

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(OSHA) Releases

• OSHA. 1999a. Summary of Final Report of the

OSHA Metalworking Fluids Standards Advisory

Committee. July 1999.

http://www.osha.gov/dhs/reports/metalwork

ing/MWFSAC-FinalReportSummary.html

• OSHA. 1999b. OSHA Alerts Workers to Beryllium Exposure, Trade News Release, 9/17/99.

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb. show_

document?p_table=New_Release& p-id=283

• OSHA. 1999c. Preventing Adverse Health Effects from Exposure to Beryllium.

http://www.osha.gov/dts/hib/hib_data/

hib19990902.html

• OSHA 2001. OSHA Launches National Emphasis Program to Reduce Lead Exposure, OSHA

Trade News Release, July 20, 2001.

• OSHA. 1978. Directive 02-02-006 Inorganic Mercury and its Compounds.

• OSHA. 1985. Directive 02-02-006 CH-1 Removal

of Obsolete Sections

Other References

ACGIH. 2004. Industrial Ventilation: A Manual of

Recommended Practice, 25th Edition. 2004.

Bechtel. 2001. Hanford Site Contractor Chronic

Beryllium Disease Prevention Program, Bechtel

Hanford, Inc., Hanford Environmental Health Foundation, Fluor Hanford, Pacific Northwest National

Laboratory, CH2M Hill Hanford Group, Inc. Rev. 2,

April 26, 2001.

BLS. 2003. Occupational Injuries and Illnesses in

the United States, Profiles Data 1992-2001, Version

9.0. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Department of

Labor.

DOE. 2006. 10 CFR part 850, Chronic Beryllium Disease Program, Final Rule (Department of Energy, 9

Feb. 2006).

EPA. 1995. EPA Office of Compliance Sector Notebook Project. Profile of the Nonferrous Metals Industry. Sept. 1995.

http://www.epa.gov/Compliance/resources/publica

tions/assistance/sectors/notebooks/nfmetlsn.pdf

• 29 CFR 1910.1000, Table Z-2

• 29 CFR 1910.1018 – Arsenic

• 29 CFR 1910.1025 – Lead

• 29 CFR 1910.1026 – Hexavalent Chromium

• 29 CFR 1910.1027 – Cadmium

• 29 CFR 1910.1096 – Ionizing radiation

• 29 CFR 1910.1200 – Hazard Communication

• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart H – Hazardous Materials

• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I – Personal Protective

Equipment

• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart L – Fire protection

• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart Q – Welding, Cutting and

Brazing

• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S – Electrical

• 29 CFR 1926.62 – Lead in Construction

• 29 CFR 1926.55 – App. A, Gases, fumes, vapors,

dusts, and musts

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(OSHA) Databases and Web Pages

• OSHA IMIS. OSHA Form 170 Reports, Integrated

Management Information System (IMIS).

• OSHA eTool. OSHA, Lead Secondary Smelter

eTool, http://www.osha.gov/

SLTC/etools/leadsmelter/

• OSHA eTool. Lockout/Tagout eTool

http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/lototrain

ing/index.htm

• OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Main Page

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/index.html

• OSHA Construction Safety and Health Outreach

Program: Safety and Welding,

http://www.osha.gov/doc/outreachtrain

ing/htmlfiles/welding.html

• OSHA Hazard Communication Web Page: Foundation of Workplace Chemical Safety Programs,

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/hazardcommunications/index.html

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(OSHA) Publications

• OSHA 1620, Occupational Exposure to Beryllium (not yet released)

• OSHA 2254, Training Requirements in OSHA

Standards and Training Guidelines

• OSHA 3074, Hearing Conservation

• OSHA 3084, Chemical Hazard Communication

• OSHA 3111, Hazard Communication Guidelines

for Compliance

• OSHA 3136, Cadmium

• OSHA 3139, Occupational Exposure to Cadmium in the Construction Industry

• OSHA 3151, Personal Protective Equipment

• OSHA 3162, Screening and Surveillance: A
3 6

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration

ISRI. NDb. Recycling Scrap Iron and Steel. No

date. Online at http://www.isri.org/isri

downloads/ironq.pdf.

ISRI. NDc. Recycling Nonferrous Scrap Metals. No

date. Online at http://www.isri.org/isri-downloads/

nonferq.pdf.

Jones, R.T., 1998 Using a Direct-Current Arc Furnace to Recover Cobalt from Slags. JOM, 57 1998

October.

Lang, 1994. Beryllium: a chronic problem. Leslie

Lang. Environmental Health Perspectives, 102(6-7),

June-July 1994.

Legare, J-M, PhD, ND. Detection of Radioactive

Sources in Scrap Metal. Commercial Radiation

Protection Services. No date. Online at

http://www.sftext.com/radioprotection/ cuba_detection_radio.html.

Navas-Acien, A., Guallar, E., Silbergeld, E.K., and

Rothenberg, S.J. 2007. Lead Exposure and Cardiovascular Disease – a Systematic Review. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(3), March 2007.

Nijkerk, A.A. and Dalmijn, W.L. 2001. Handbook of

Recycling Techniques. The Hague: Nijkerk Consultancy. Fifth, revised and expanded edition, February 2001.

NSC. ND. Accident Prevention Manual for Industrial Operations: Engineering and Technology. 10th

Ed. Itasca, IL: National Safety Council. No date.

NSC. 2000. National Safety Council Safeworker

program. February 2000.

http://www.nsc.org/pubs/sw.htm.

NTP. 2004. Eleventh Report on Carcinogens, National Toxicology Program.

NYSDOH. 2001. Lead on the Job: A Guide for

Workers, New York State Department of Health,

January 2001. http://www.health.state.ny.us/

nysdoh/lead/worker.htm.

OECD. 1995. Recycling of Copper, Lead, and ZincBearing Wastes. Environmental Monographs No.

109. Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Development (OECD), Paris, 1995. http://www.

cpplatform.ch/technology/pdf_ docs/1114b.pdf.

EPA. 1998. Beryllium and Beryllium Compounds.

http://www.epa.gov/IRIS/subst/0012.htm

EPA. 2001. Emission Inventory Improvement Program. U.S. Environmental Protection Program.

2001. http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/eiip/

Hathaway GJ, Proctor NH, Hughes JP, and Fischman ML [1991]. Proctor and Hughes' chemical

hazards of the workplace. 3rd edition. New York,

NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

IARC 1997. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of

Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Volume 58, Beryllium, Cadmium, Mercury, and Exposures in the

Glass Manufacturing Industry.

IARC 2006a. List of Agents Evaluated and Their

Classifications as Evaluated in IARC Monographs

Volumes 1-85. http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/

Classification/index.php

IARC 2006b. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation

of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Volume 87, Inorganic and Organic Lead Compounds.

IARC 2006c. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation

of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Volume 86,

Cobalt in Hard Metals and Cobalt Sulfate, Gallium

Arsenide, Indium Phosphide, and Vanadium Pentoxide.

IPCS. 2000. International Chemical Safety Card,

Beryllium. NIOSH, CEC, and IPCS.

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ipcsneng/neng

0226.html.

IPMI. 2001. Environmental and Regulatory Affairs

Committee. Guidance to Members on Beryllium

Management. International Precious Metals Institute. October 15, 2001.

ISP ND International Specialty Products Industrial

Reference Guide Performance-Enhancing Products

for Industrial Markets. No date. Online at:

http://www.ispcorp.com/products/biocides/

content/brochure/ind_ref.html

ISRI. NDa. Scrap Recycling: Where Tomorrow Begins. Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI).

No date. Online at http://www.isri.org/isridown

loads/scrap2.pdf.
G U I D A N C E F O R T H E I D E N T I F I C A T I O N A N D C O N T R O L O F

S A F E T Y A N D H E A L T H H A Z A R D S I N M E T A L S C R A P R E C Y C L I N G

3 7

USGS. 2001. U.S. Geological Survey Minerals

Yearbook.

USGS. 2002. U.S. Geological Survey Minerals

Yearbook.

USGS, 2003 Cadmium Recycling in the United

States in 2000.

USGS. 2006. U.S. Geological Survey Minerals

Yearbook.

VADEQ. 2001. Precious Metal Recovery: Photographic Silver. Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Waste Management. Revision

6/12/01. http://www.deq.state.va.us/waste/hazardous3.html.

Washington. 2002. Preventing Lead Poisoning in

Scrap Metal Recycling, Safety & Health Assessment & Research for Prevention (SHARP), University of Washington, Seattle, WA. May 2002.

OSHA. 2006. Final Economic and Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for OSHA’s Final Standard for Occupational Exposure to Hexavalent Chromium.

http://dockets.osha.gov/search/browseExhibits.asp

PIM. 1990. Cadmium. PIM 089.

http://www.inchem.org/documents/pims/

chemical/cadmium.htm.

Smith, DM. Radioactive Material in Scrap Metal -

The UK Approach. Health & Safety Executive, Midlands Region Specialist Group, McLaren Building,

35 Dale End, Birmingham B4 7NP UK. No date.

Sastry et al. ND. Sastry R, Orlemann J, Koval P.

Mercury Contamination from Metal Scrap Processing Facilities: A Study by Ohio EPA, Paper 947. No

date.

USGS. 1999. U.S. Geological Survey Minerals

Yearbook.
3 8

SUBSTANCE

Aluminum Metal (as Al)

pyro powders and welding fumessoluble salts and alkyls

Antimony and compounds except Stibine (as Sb)Arsenic, inorganic compounds (as As);Arsenic, organic compounds (as As)ArsineBarium, soluble compounds, exceptBarium Sulfate (as Ba)Barium sulfateBeryllium and compounds (as Be)Bismuth telluride, UndopedBismuth telluride, Se-dopedCadmium and compounds (as Cd)Chromium (VI) compoundsChromic acid and chromatesChromium (II) compounds (as Cr)Chromium (III) compounds (as Cr)Chromium metal (as Cr)Chromium insoluble salts (as Cr)Cobalt metal, dust, and fume (as Co)Cobalt carbonylCobalt hydrocarbonylCopper, fume (as Cu)Copper, dust and mist (as Cu)Hafnium and compounds (as Hf)Hydrogen selenide (as Se)Iron oxideIron salts, soluble as FeLead inorganic (as Pb)Lead ChromateMagnesium oxide fume

NIOSH

REL

10 mg/m3 (total dust) 5 mg/m3 (resp)

5 mg/m3

2 mg/m30.5 mg/m3Ca C 0.002 mg/m3 [15-minute]

noneCa C 0.002 mg/m3 [15-minute]0.5 mg/m3

10 mg/m3 (total dust) 5 mg/m3 (resp)

Ca Not to exceed 0.0005 mg/m3

10 mg/m3 (total) 5 mg/m3 (resp)

5 mg/m3

Ca(as Cr) Ca 0.001 mg/m30.5 mg/m30.5 mg/m30.5 mg/m30.5 mg/m30.05 mg/m30.1 mg/m30.1 mg/m30.1 mg/m31 mg/m30.5 mg/m30.05 ppm (0.2 mg/m3)

5 mg/m3 dust and fume1 mg/m3

0.050 mg/m3See “Lead inorganic” and “Chromicacid & chromates”

OSHA

PEL

15 mg/m3 as Al (total) 5 mg/m3 (resp)

0.5 mg/m3

0.010 mg/m3 see 1910.1018

0.5 mg/m3

0.05 ppm (0.2 mg/m3)

0.5 mg/m3

15 mg/m3 (total) 5 mg/m3 (resp)

0.002 mg/m3 C 0.005 mg/m3 0.025 mg/m3

[30-minute maximum peak]15 mg/m3 (total) 5 mg/m3 (resp)

0.005 mg/m3 see 1910.1027

(as Cr) C 0.005 mg/m3 see 1910.10260.5 mg/m3

0.5 mg/m31 mg/m31 mg/m30.1 mg/m30.1 mg/m31 mg/m30.5 mg/m30.05 ppm (0.2 mg/m3)

10 mg/m3 fume

0.050 mg/m3 see 1910.1025See “Lead inorganic” and “Chromic acid& chromates”15 mg/m3

Appendix: Exposure Limits for Selected Metals
3 9

SUBSTANCE

Manganese compounds (as Mn)Manganese fume (as Mn)Mercury (organo) alkyl compounds (as Hg)Mercury (Elemental and Inorganic form)Mercury vaporMolybdenum insoluble compounds (as Mo)Molybdenum soluble compoundsNickel carbonyl (as Ni)Nickel, metal (as Ni)Nickel, insoluble compounds (as Ni)Nickel, soluble compounds (as Ni)Osmium tetroxide (as Os)Platinum, metalPlatinum, soluble salts (as Pt)Rhodium (as Rh), metal fume and insoluble compoundsRhodium (as Rh), soluble compoundsSelenium and compounds (as Se)Selenium hexafluoride (as Se)Silver, metal (as Ag)Silver, soluble compounds (as Ag)Stibine (Antimony hydride)Tantalum, metal and oxide dustTellurium and compounds (as Te)Tellurium hexafluoride (as Te)Tetraethyl lead (as Pb)Tetramethyl lead (as Pb)Thallium, soluble compounds (as Tl)Tin, inorganic compounds (except oxides) (as Sn)Tin, organic compounds (as Sn)Tin(II) oxideTin(IV) oxideTitanium dioxideUranium, soluble compounds

NIOSH

REL

1 mg/m3 ST 3 mg/m3

1 mg/m3 ST 3 mg/m30.01 mg/m3 ST 0.03 mg/m3 [skin]

C 0.1 mg/m3 [skin]

0.05 mg/m3 [skin]

Ca 0.001 ppm (0.007 mg/m3)

Ca 0.015 mg/m3

Ca 0.015 mg/m3Ca 0.015 mg/m30.002 mg/m3 (0.0002 ppm) ST 0.006

mg/m3 (0.0006 ppm)

1 mg/m3

0.002 mg/m30.1 mg/m30.001 mg/m30.2 mg/m30.05 ppm0.01 mg/m30.01 mg/m30.1 ppm (0.5 mg/m3)

5 mg/m3 ST 10 mg/m3

0.1 mg/m30.02 ppm (0.2 mg/m3)

0.075 mg/m3 [skin]

0.075 mg/m3 [skin]0.1 mg/m3 [skin]

2 mg/m3

0.1 mg/m3 [skin]

2 mg/m3

2 mg/m3CaCa 0.05 mg/m3

OSHA

PEL

C 5 mg/m3

C 5 mg/m30.01 mg/m3 C 0.04 mg/m3C 0.1 mg/m3C 0.1 mg/m315 mg/m35 mg/m30.001 ppm (0.007 mg/m3)

1 mg/m3

1 mg/m31 mg/m30.002 mg/m3none0.002 mg/m30.1 mg/m30.001 mg/m30.2 mg/m30.05 ppm (0.4 mg/m3)

0.01 mg/m3

0.01 mg/m30.1 ppm (0.5 mg/m3)

5 mg/m3

0.1 mg/m30.02 ppm (0.2 mg/m3)

0.075 mg/m3 [skin]

0.075 mg/m3 [skin]0.1 mg/m3 [skin]

2 mg/m3

0.1 mg/m315 mg/m30.05 mg/m3
4 0

SUBSTANCE

Uranium, insoluble compoundsVanadium, dustVanadium, fumesYttrium and compounds (as Y)Zinc chloride fumeZinc oxide fumeZinc oxide dustZinc stearateZirconium compounds (as Zr)

NIOSH

REL

Ca 0.2 mg/m3 ST 0.6 mg/m3

C 0.05 mg/m3 [15-minute] (as V)

C 0.05 mg/m3 [15-minute] (as V)1 mg/m3

1 mg/m3 ST 2 mg/m35 mg/m3 ST 10 mg/m35 mg/m3 C 15 mg/m310 mg/m3 (total) 5 mg/m3 (resp)

5 mg/m3 ST 10 mg/m3 (as Zr) (except

Zirconium tetrachloride.)

OSHA

PEL

0.25 mg/m3C 0.05 mg/m3 (as V2O5) (resp)

C 0.1 mg/m3 (as V2O5)1 mg/m3

1 mg/m35 mg/m315 mg/m3 (total) 5 mg/m3 (resp)

5 mg/m3

Sources: 29 CFR 1910.1000 Table Z-1; 29 CFR 1910.1000 Table Z-2; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Pocket Guide,Publication 97-140, February 2004.

Legend of Acronyms and Notations for Appendix AGeneralmg/m3 milligrams per cubic meter

ppm parts per millionresp respirable fraction of the airborne particulateskin indicates the potential for dermal absorptiontotal total airborne particulateC ceilingNIOSHCa carcinogenREL recommended exposure limitST Short term exposure limitOSHAPEL permissible exposure limitskin indicates the potential for dermal absorption

SubstancesA AluminumAg SilverAs ArsenicBa BariumBe BerylliumCd CadmiumCo CobaltCr ChromiumCrO3 Chromium Oxide

Cu CopperFe IronHf HafniumHg MercuryMn ManganeseMo Molybdenum

Ni NickelOs OsmiumPb LeadPb3(AsO4)2 Lead Arsenate

Pt PlatinumRh RhodiumSb AntimonySe SeleniumSn TinTe TelluriumTl ThalliumV VanadiumV O2 5 Vanadium PentoxideY YttriumZr Zirconium
G U I D A N C E F O R T H E I D E N T I F I C A T I O N A N D C O N T R O L O F

S A F E T Y A N D H E A L T H H A Z A R D S I N M E T A L S C R A P R E C Y C L I N G

4 1

pational safety and health plans must adopt standards identical to, or at least as effective as, the Federal OSHA standards.

Consultation Services

Consultation assistance is available on request to

employers who want help in establishing and

maintaining a safe and healthful workplace.

Largely funded by OSHA, the service is provided

at no cost to the employer. Primarily developed for

smaller employers with more hazardous operations, the consultation service is delivered by state

governments employing professional safety and

health consultants. Comprehensive assistance includes an appraisal of all mechanical systems,

work practices, and occupational safety and health

hazards of the workplace and all aspects of the

employer’s present job safety and health program.

In addition, the service offers assistance to employers in developing and implementing an effective safety and health program. No penalties are

proposed or citations issued for hazards identified

by the consultant. OSHA provides consultation assistance to the employer with the assurance that

his or her name and firm and any information

about the workplace will not be routinely reported

to OSHA enforcement staff.

Under the consultation program, certain exemplary employers may request participation in OSHA’s

Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program

(SHARP). Eligibility for participation in SHARP includes receiving a comprehensive consultation visit,

demonstrating exemplary achievements in workplace safety and health by abating all identified hazards, and developing an excellent safety and health

program.

Employers accepted into SHARP may receive

an exemption from programmed inspections (not

complaint or accident investigation inspections)

for a period of 1 year. For more information concerning consultation assistance, see OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov.

Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP)

Voluntary Protection Programs and on-site consultation services, when coupled with an effective enforcement program, expand employee protection to

help meet the goals of the OSH Act. The VPPs motivate others to achieve excellent safety and health results in the same outstanding way as they establish

a cooperative relationship between employers, employees, and OSHA.

OSHA Assistance

OSHA can provide extensive help through a variety

of programs, including technical assistance about

effective safety and health programs, state plans,

workplace consultations, voluntary protection programs, strategic partnerships, training and education, and more. An overall commitment to

workplace safety and health can add value to your

business, to your workplace, and to your life.

Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines

Effective management of employee safety and

health protection is a decisive factor in reducing the

extent and severity of work-related injuries and illnesses and their related costs. In fact, an effective

safety and health program forms the basis of good

employee protection and can save time and money

(about $4 for every dollar spent) and increase productivity and reduce employee injuries, illnesses,

and related workers’ compensation costs.

To assist employers and employees in developing effective safety and health programs, OSHA

published recommended Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines (54 Federal Register

(16): 3904-3916, January 26, 1989). These voluntary

guidelines can be applied to all places of employment covered by OSHA.

The guidelines identify four general elements

critical to the development of a successful safety

and health management system:

• Management leadership and employee involvement,

• Worksite analysis,

• Hazard prevention and control, and

• Safety and health training.

The guidelines recommend specific actions,

under each of these general elements, to achieve

an effective safety and health program. The Federal

Register notice is available online at www.osha.gov.

State Programs

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

(OSH Act) encourages states to develop and operate their own job safety and health plans. OSHA approves and monitors these plans. Twenty-four

states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands currently

operate approved state plans: 22 cover both private

and public (state and local government) employment; Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and the

Virgin Islands cover the public sector only. States

and territories with their own OSHA-approved occu-
4 2

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration

OSHATraining and Education

OSHA area offices offer a variety of information

services, such as compliance assistance, technical

advice, publications, audiovisual aids, and speakers

for special engagements. OSHA’s Training Institute

in Arlington Heights, IL, provides basic and advanced courses in safety and health for Federal and

state compliance officers, state consultants, Federal

agency personnel, and private sector employers,

employees, and their representatives.

The OSHA Training Institute also has established

OSHA Training Institute Education Centers to address the increased demand for its courses from the

private sector and from other federal agencies.

These centers include colleges, universities, and

nonprofit training organizations that have been selected after a competition for participation in the

program.

OSHA also provides funds to nonprofit organizations, through grants, to conduct workplace training

and education in subjects where OSHA believes

there is a lack of workplace training. Grants are

awarded annually. Grant recipients are expected to

contribute 20 percent of the total grant cost.

For more information on training and education,

contact the OSHA Training Institute, Directorate of

Training and Education, 2020 South Arlington

Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL, 60005, (847)

297-4810, or see Training on OSHA’s website at

www.osha.gov. For further information on any

OSHA program, contact your nearest OSHA regional

office listed at the end of this publication.

Information Available Electronically

OSHA has a variety of materials and tools available

on its website at www.osha.gov. These include electronic compliance assistance tools, such as Safety

and HealthTopics Pages, eTools, Expert Advisors;

regulations, directives, publications and videos; and

other information for employers and employees.

OSHA’s software programs and compliance assistance tools walk you through challenging safety and

health issues and common problems to find the

best solutions for your workplace.

A wide variety of OSHA materials, including standards, interpretations, directives, and more can be

purchased on CD-ROM from the U.S. Government

Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, tollfree phone (866) 512-1800.

For additional information on VPP and how to

apply, contact the OSHA regional offices listed at the

end of this publication.

Strategic Partnership Program

OSHA’s Strategic Partnership Program, the newest

member of OSHA’s cooperative programs, helps

encourage, assist, and recognize the efforts of

partners to eliminate serious workplace hazards

and achieve a high level of employee safety and

health. Whereas OSHA’s Consultation Program

and VPP entail one-on-one relationships between

OSHA and individual worksites, most strategic

partnerships seek to have a broader impact by

building cooperative relationships with groups of

employers and employees. These partnerships are

voluntary, cooperative relationships between

OSHA, employers, employee representatives, and

others (e.g., trade unions, trade and professional

associations, universities, and other government

agencies).

For more information on this and other cooperative programs, contact your nearest OSHA office, or

visit OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov.

Alliance Program

Through the Alliance Program, OSHA works with

groups committed to safety and health, including

businesses, trade or professional organizations,

unions and educational institutions, to leverage

resources and expertise to develop compliance

assistance tools and resources and share information

with employers and employees to help prevent

injuries, illnesses and fatalities in the workplace.

Alliance program agreements have been established with a wide variety of industries including

meat, apparel, poultry, steel, plastics, maritime,

printing, chemical, construction, paper and telecommunications. These agreements are addressing

many safety and health hazards and at-risk audiences, including silica, fall protection, amputations,

immigrant workers, youth and small businesses. By

meeting the goals of the Alliance Program agreements (training and education, outreach and communication, and promoting the national dialogue on

workplace safety and health), OSHA and the Alliance

Program participants are developing and disseminating compliance assistance information and resources for employers and employees such as

electronic assistance tools, fact sheets, toolbox talks,

and training programs.
G U I D A N C E F O R T H E I D E N T I F I C A T I O N A N D C O N T R O L O F 4 3

S A F E T Y A N D H E A L T H H A Z A R D S I N M E T A L S C R A P R E C Y C L I N G

OSHA Publications

OSHA has an extensive publications program. For a

listing of free or sales items, visit OSHA’s website

at www.osha.gov or contact the OSHA Publications

Office, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution

Avenue, NW, N-3101, Washington, DC 20210: Telephone (202) 693-1888 or fax to (202) 693-2498.

Contacting OSHA

To report an emergency, file a complaint, or seek

OSHA advice, assistance, or products, call (800) 321-

OSHA or contact your nearest OSHA Regional office

listed at the end of this publication. The teletypewriter (TTY) number is (877) 889-5627.

Written correspondence can be mailed to the

nearest OSHA Regional or Area Office listed at the

end of this publication or to OSHA’s national office

at: U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety

and Health Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue,

N.W., Washington, DC 20210.

By visiting OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov,

you can also:

• File a complaint online,

• Submit general inquiries about workplace safety

and health electronically, and

• Find more information about OSHA and occupational safety and health.
4 4

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration

RegionVI

(AR, LA, NM,* OK, TX)

525 Griffin Street, Room 602

Dallas, TX 75202

(972) 850-4145

RegionVII

(IA,* KS, MO, NE)

Two Pershing Square

2300 Main Street, Suite 1010

Kansas City, MO 64108-2416

(816) 283-8745

RegionVIII

(CO, MT, NO, SO, UT,* WY*)

1999 Broadway, Suite 1690

PO Box 46550

Denver, CO 80202-5716

(720) 264-6550

Region IX

(American Samoa, AZ,* CA,* HI,* NV,* GM,

Northern Mariana Islands)

90 7th Street, Suite 18-100

San Francisco, CA 94103

(415) 625-2547

Region X

(AK,* ID, OR,* WA*)

1111 Third Avenue, Suite 715

Seattle, WA 98101-3212

(206) 553-5930

Region I

(CT,* ME, MA, NH, RI, VT*)

JFK Federal Building, Room E340

Boston, MA 02203

(617) 565-9860

Region II

(NJ,* NY,* PR,* VI*)

201 Varick Street, Room 670

New York, NY 10014

(212) 337-2378

Region III

(DE, DC, MD,* PA, VA,* WV)

The Curtis Center

170 S. Independence Mall West

Suite 740 West

Philadelphia, PA 19106-3309

(215) 861-4900

Region IV

(AL, FL, GA, KY,* MS, NC,* SC,* TN*)

61 Forsyth Street, SW, Room 6T50

Atlanta, GA 30303

(404) 562-2300

RegionV

(lL, IN,* MI,* MN,* OH, WI)

230 South Dearborn Street

Room 3244

Chicago, IL 60604

(312) 353-2220

* These states and territories operate their own OSHA-approved job safety and health programs and cover state and

local government employees as well as private sector employees. The Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Virgin Islands plans cover public employees only. States with approved programs must have standards that are identical to, or

at least as effective as, the Federal standards.

Note: To get contact information for OSHA Area Offices, OSHA-approved State Plans and OSHA Consultation Projects, please visit us online at www.osha.gov or call us at 1-800-321-0SHA.

OSHA Regional Offices