Section 325.51854. Exposure monitoring generally.

(1) This subrule applies only to construction. Before performing of any construction work where employees may potentially be exposed to cadmium, an employer shall establish the applicability of these rules by determining whether cadmium is present in the workplace and whether there is the possibility that employee exposures will be at or above the action level. An employer shall designate a competent person to make this determination. The employers shall use appropriate investigation and material testing techniques in making the determination. An investigation shall include all of the following:

(a)   ) A review of relevant plans.

(b)   A review of past reports relative to cadmium.

(c)   ) Safety data sheets.

(d)  Other available records.

(e)   ) Consultations with the property owner.

(f)  Discussions with appropriate individuals and agencies.

(2)    An employer whose workplace or work operation involves cadmium in any way shall determine if any employee may be exposed to cadmium at or above the action level. An employer shall identify which employees potentially are exposed to cadmium at or above the action level and shall conduct exposure monitoring to determine what the exposure levels are.

(3)     Determinations of employee exposure shall be made from breathing zone air samples that reflect the monitored employee’s regular, daily 8-hour TWA exposure to cadmium.

(4)   Eight-hour TWA exposures shall be determined for each employee on the basis of 1 or more personal breathing zone air samples that reflect a full shift of exposure on each shift, for each job classification, in each work area. Where several employees perform the same job tasks, in the same job classification, on the same shift, and in the same work area and the length, duration, and level of cadmium exposures are similar, an employer may sample a representative fraction of the employees instead of all of the employees to meet this requirement. In representative sampling, an employer shall sample the employee who is expected to have the highest cadmium exposures.

(5)   An employer shall use a method of monitoring and analysis that has an accuracy of not less than plus or minus 25%, with a confidence level of 95%, for airborne concentrations of cadmium at or above the action level, the permissible exposure limit (PEL), and the separate engineering control air limit (SECAL).

History: 1993 AACS; 2013 AACS.