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Cadmium

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Overview

Cadmium is a toxic metal used in batteries, alloys, coatings, solar cells, plastic stabilizers, and pigments. Cadmium and its compounds target the body's cardiovascular, renal, gastrointestinal, neurological, reproductive, and respiratory systems and are known to cause cancer.

Cadmium is used predominantly in rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries; however, electroplating, metal machining, welding, and painting are operations associated with cadmium exposure. The most dangerous form of work-related exposure to cadmium is inhalation of fine dust and fumes, or ingestion of highly soluble cadmium compounds. Tobacco smoking is the most important single source of cadmium exposure in the general population.

You will find requirements for protecting workers from cadmium exposure in Oregon OSHA’s general industry, construction, and agriculture rules.

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Publications

  • Fact sheets
    • Personal protective equipment
      Details when employers must provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers, with an example of a hazard assessment, and descriptions of appropriate PPE for various tasks.
      English  08/24/2023
    • Respiratory protection
      Describes general industry respiratory protection requirements and answers provides some questions with answers
      English  01/19/2005
  • References
    • Rules with requirements
      We get many calls and emails from employers asking the same question. It begins: “Which of your rules have requirements for…” You can finish the sentence with words like “recordkeeping,” “employee training,” and “written documents.” To answer those questions, we’ve organized these rules requirements into a filterable, sortable, searchable table.
      English  05/10/2019

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