Health Effects of Cadmium and the Safety Standards - Essay Example

1910.1027 – Cadmium Table of Contents Introduction 3 Health Effects of Cadmium and the Safety Standards 4 Chemical Physical/ Biological Hazards From Cadmium 5 Conclusion 8 8 References 9 Introduction Cadmium is an exceptionally toxic metal which is found primarily in industrial workplaces. The propensity of Cadmium being found is more in the workplaces where any kind of ore is smelted or processed. Cadmium is used widely in the process of electroplating1. Cadmium is recognized in the ‘Occupational Safety & Health Administration’ under the standard number 1910.1027. It is considered as a toxic and hazardous substance. Cadmium can cause severe health hazard to people and it can even lead to death2. Health Effects of Cadmium and the Safety Standards In the workplace environment the chemical, physical and biological hazards of Cadmium are primarily observed. The workplace related hazards that are related to Cadmium can transpire to fatal and critical health related consequences. Cadmium related hazards can appear in certain apparently unrelated materials and operations like batteries, paints and also phosphate fertilizers. Occupational Safety & Health Administration came up with a ‘preamble to final rules’ for Cadmium related hazards named as Occupational Exposure to Cadmium (1992). This regulation was designed to review the obtainable regulations regarding the occupational exposures related to Cadmium hazards in other nations worldwide. Experiences related to Cadmium are generally addressed by providing specific standards for the shipyard employment, general industry, agriculture industry and the construction industry. Various states have adopted standards related to Cadmium hazards mostly alike the Federal OSHA standards. The 1910 standard is considered as a part of general industry related adoption and also extension of conventional federal standards. 1910.1027 Standard related to Cadmium refers primarily to the worksites which are covered by 29 CFR 1910.16 (longshoring and marine terminals) if not specified otherwise3. Chemical / Physical/ Biological Hazards From Cadmium Chemical hazards are a part and parcel of almost all of the industries. In recent times the chemical hazards have increase multifold. Chemical agents generally proceed in three ways such as inhalation, local action and ingestion. The ill-effects created are dependent upon the extent of exposure, individual susceptibility, and also on the quantum of the exposure4. In case of the chemical hazards related to Cadmium the main areas for consideration are fire, health, and environment. The use of cadmium ranges from textiles, printing, photography, solar cells and lasers. The significant chemical hazard related to Cadmium can come from commonly used batteries such as nickel-cadmium batteries which is a rechargeable battery used in mobile phones, laptops, cordless tools and digital cameras. Cadmium can cause toxic reaction by ingestion and inhalation. The symptoms of such hazards are heypersalivation, cough, metallic taste, dyspnoea, metal fume fever, and chest pain. Ingestion can also cause severe heartache for an individual by causing oedema of neck, face, as well as motor or sensory disturbances. Cadmium generally transforms to cadmium oxide if it gets oxidized in air5. The adverse affect of cadmium is seen both in terms of chronic and acute measures in both human beings as well as in animals. In acute scenario, weakness, headache, fever, muscular pain is seen along with propensity to asphyxia. In case of chronic incidence, most serious hazard of exposure to cadmium can tantamount to cancer mainly ling and prostate. The other effects include kidney damage, loss of protein through urination. Cadmium can also cause bone disease, and pulmonary emphysema. The bone disease was experienced in Japan as “itai-itai” disease. This can attack a human being from the exposure of cadmium-contaminated water. Cadmium can also play a damaging part in causing anemia, anosmia, and teeth discoloration6. The OSHA substance and safety data sheet provides valuable information related to cadmium and its affects to over exposure. The affects of cadmium can be avoided by providing emergency first aid procedure for eye exposure, skin exposure, ingestion, inhalation, and rescue. The data sheet directs that emergency first aid procedure needs to be provided in case of direct contact with cadmium by washing eye with water. For skin exposure, removing contaminated clothing is made mandatory to remove the toxic affects of cadmium. The affects of cadmium can come up from inhalation of cadmium agents by a person exposed to cadmium. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and administration of oxygen are the most significant medical need in such scenario. The benefit of protective clothing like respirator, gloves, impermeable clothing, eye protection and face shield is also very important to prevent any harm from cadmium on human beings. The employers are also directed to provide necessary amenities in the workplace which may become affected from cadmium. These amenities include medical facility. Keeping medical records, checking employees’ health that have chance of getting affected from cadmium on a regular basis are few of the necessities under the heath regulations. The biological affect of cadmium is significantly seen in biological fluids like blood and urine. Therefore body burden of cadmium is a measure used in among the workers to judge on their body tolerance level from cadmium’s affect without getting affected from kidney damage. A kidney damage scenario which causes damage to proximal tubules can occur from cadmium intake in body. Lung and prostate cancer can also create harm among the industry workers due to cadmium exposure. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified cadmium as one of the likely human carcinogens. In case of non-carcinogen effects, the airborne cadmium can cause extreme pulmonary edema and other respiratory diseases. The ill-effects of cadmium in workplace and in other places can be avoided by strict medical surveillance and through biological monitoring and providing proper medication to the affected7. Conclusion Cadmium is a highly toxic substance and over-exposure to it in the workplace can cause severe health ill effects. Therefore, in order to protect people from getting affected from the hazards of cadmium it is absolutely crucial on the part of management of an organization to abide by the safety regulations and standards which are provided. The possible solution to prevent from exposure of cadmium can come from engineering controls, personal protective equipment (PPE), and also from administrative actions. References Bull, S., 2010. “HPA Compendium of Chemical Hazards”. “Cadmium”. http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1198504591766 Envisnioh, No Date. “Chemical Hazards”. “Occupational Hazards”. http://www.envisnioh.org/occupational-hazards.htm United States Department of labor, 2009. “Cadmium”. “Occupational Safety & Health Administration”. http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/cadmium/index.html United States Department of labor, 2009. “Cadmium 1910.1027”. “Occupational Safety & Health Administration”. http://63.234.227.130/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10035 United States Department of labor, 2009. “Substance Safety Data Sheet- Cadmium -1910, 1027 App A”. “Occupational Safety & Health Administration”. http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10036 Read More