NIOSH Lowers Advised Exposure Limit For Airborne Hexavalent Chromium

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has lowered its recommended exposure limit (REL) for airborne hexavalent chromium (CrVI) during a 40-hour workweek by 80 percent, with a reduction from 1 microgram per cubic meter of air to 0.2 microgram.

NIOSH estimated that adoption of the new REL for CrVI—classified as a known human carcinogen in the federal Report on Carcinogens—would reduce the lifetime risk of lung cancer death stemming from occupational CrVI exposure to one per 1,000 workers down from six. Approximately 560,000 U.S. workers are exposed to airborne CrVI in the workplace, the institute said.

“The ...