Cinnaminson, New Jersey, January 24, 2025
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced that a federal workplace safety investigation found a recycling company in Wisconsin continues to expose employees to unsafe levels of cadmium and lead while they dismantled cathode ray tubes from older TVs, despite being cited for the same violations in April 2023.
OSHA claims the company failed to implement adequate engineering controls and did not keep surfaces as free as feasible from cadmium and lead accumulations. The agency has cited the business for two repeat and six serious violations, one other-than-serious violation, and has proposed over $202,000 in penalties.
According to OSHA, the company failed to:
- Provide biological monitoring of employees for overexposure every six months
- Collect samples for representative full shift exposures to both lead and cadmium
- Ensure workers removed protective clothing contaminated with lead and cadmium at the completion of the shift and left the clothing at the workplace
- Require workers exposed to lead and cadmium to shower at the end of their shift
- Establish a regulation area to reduce the spread of contamination when employees were exposed to lead or cadmium over the permissible exposure limit
- Train employees on the additive effects of lead and cadmium
“Exposure to elevated levels of cadmium or lead can result in a host of serious health concerns,” said Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “At EMSL, our network of laboratories across North America provide comprehensive industrial hygiene and environmental testing for cadmium, lead, and other heavy metals. We also offer sampling supplies, easy-to-use test kits, and a full range of personal protective equipment. These resources not only protect workers, they also help to keep companies in regulatory compliance to avoid costly penalties.”
To learn more about cadmium and lead testing, or other environmental, health, and safety resources, please visit www.EMSL.com, call (800) 220-3675, or email info@EMSL.com.
About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories with locations throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP <797>, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOCs, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA LAP, LLC. (AIHA EMLAP, AIHA IHLAP, AIHA ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.