The Health and Safety Executive and the Surface Engineering
In the electroplating industry,
hexavalent chromium and nickel compounds are widely used as
deposition plating metals. Both are classified as skin and
respiratory sensitising agents and carcinogens; it is therefore
important that exposure be reduced to as low as reasonably
practicable. An estimated 3000 workers are potentially exposed to
nickel and/or hexavalent chromium in the electroplating industry,
through inhalation of dusts, fumes and mists; dermal absorption; or
by ingestion as a result of hand to mouth contamination.
Consequently, efforts to reduce worker exposure rely on good
working practices, appropriate engineering controls and suitable
personal protective equipment, used correctly.
What We Did
Our study looked at whether repeat
biological monitoring could drive sustainable improvements in
exposure control by raising individual worker risk awareness and
improving worker understanding of exposure pathways.
Workers at forty-nine
electroplating companies took part by providing a post shift urine
sample for three consecutive days, at the start of the project, and
at 6 and 12 month intervals, to assess levels of exposure to
chromium and nickel. Following the results of the initial sampling,
direct feedback and targeted advice was provided.
Routes of exposure were also
investigated by conducting hand wash sampling, surface wipes and
Many companies were found to be
controlling exposures within the current guidelines, although there
were still areas for improvement. In fifteen companies, more
than half the workers had elevated urinary nickel levels (the same
was true for urinary chromium levels in thirteen
companies). After feedback and guidance, worker exposures
were significantly reduced in these companies in the follow-up
sampling rounds. Repeat biological monitoring saw reductions in the
range of 30 - 40% for nickel and 20 - 30% for chromium.
The graph shows the reduction in
urinary chromium levels for a maintenance worker as a result of
advice after the initial sampling.
It was also determined that
exposure to chromium and nickel in the electroplating industry
occurs via a combination of inhalation, dermal absorption and
The study demonstrated that
biological monitoring is a very effective tool for exposure
assessment and that repeat testing can effectively reduce levels of
exposure to nickel and chromium due to improved exposure control
and personal risk awareness.
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