How can factories and workshops comply with stricter chrome-6 regulations?

Several European countries have recently lowered their national chrome-6/chrome (VI) limit values, in some cases down to 0,001 mg/m3. That is a rather sharp reduction from the already comparatively low EU limit value of 0,005 mg/m3. This development has probably only just begun, and we can expect these limit values to decrease even further in the years to come – not only in Europe. So, what measures can companies take to adapt to these new regulations, and protect their personnel from chrome-6 exposure?

What is chrome-6 (hexavalent chromium), and why is it hazardous?

Chrome-6, also known as hexavalent chromium, chrome (VI) or Cr(VI), is one of the most common forms of this chemical element. It is present in many industrial processes where stainless steel is heated up, including chrome plating, welding, laser cutting and leather tanning. When the steel is heated up above its boiling point, fumes are created; fumes that contain concentrations of hazardous substances. 

Repeated exposure to chrome-6 can cause several respiratory conditions, such as asthma, bronchitis, and lung cancer. Recent reports indicate a possible connection between chrome-6 and liver cancer and kidney cancer as well. 

Chrome-6 is also present in nature, especially in the water supplies of certain geographical areas. This further underlines the importance of minimizing its presence in work environments, if the production process gives rise to chrome-6.

There is a regulatory trend toward stricter chrome-6 limit values

In 2017, the European Union decided on a maximum limit value for chrome-6: 0,005 mg/m³. The United States decided on the same limit value in 2006. In Europe, countries like the Netherlands, France and Denmark recently lowered their national chromium limit values to 0,001 mg/m³. Denmark is one of the countries that have plans for further reductions in the years to come. If it proves technologically, economically and measurably possible, the Danish government expects to reduce the limit value to 0,00025 mg/m³ in 2024. 

More and more countries will likely introduce increasingly strict regulations not just on chrome-6, but other hazardous substances as well. This will require industrial companies to be responsive, and implement the changes necessary to ensure their workers’ safety.

How to reduce chrome-6 exposure in the factory or workshop

• Review your facility’s air quality documentation, particularly for workplace areas exposed to chrome-6. Are your operations in compliance with the limit values? Make sure you review work procedures as well as ventilation and other equipment.
• Does your work involve the release of hazardous fume? Do you have the right equipment for extracting it? At-source extraction (or at-source capture) is a highly efficient method for capturing hazardous fume. This can be done in multiple ways, including on-torch extraction. If that is not a viable option, consider alternatives such as extraction arms, welding tables, or room air extraction devices. Re-circulation after filtration is not acceptable, as chrome-6 is a cancer source. Air filtration via FMC filters or MCP filters is an environmentally safe solution.
• Are you using your equipment correctly? Some work processes, and the equipment involved, may need to be adjusted to make sure that they efficiently prevent chrome-6 exposure. If you use an extraction arm, is the arm (and its hood) positioned correctly? Does it provide enough space for the welder to do his/her job, while simultaneously extracting the fume before it reaches the breathing zones of the welder and the other workshop personnel? Welders are not the only ones affected when filtration and extraction are inadequate. Chrome-6 particles may spread to all other personnel in the workshop, as well as temporary visitors.
• Proper housekeeping routines contribute to a safer work environment – as long as these routines are actually implemented. Cleaning your equipment, surfaces, work clothes and gear properly and regularly will help prevent chrome-6 particles from spreading and lingering in the workshop. Make sure that maintenance of systems and machines is performed as planned, and as recommended by the manufacturers.

At Nederman, we have a long history of helping our customers achieve and maintain low chrome-6 levels, and of innovating and installing fume extraction systems for different applications and industries. You can find many other, related articles on welding fume extraction and prevention in the workshop, robotic welding, and the risks posed by hazardous fume here in the Nederman Knowledge Center.