Hygiene Provisions

Employers must provide hygiene facilities to prevent workers from contaminating areas outside of the work zone. These hygiene provisions should include hand washing facilities, showers, changing rooms, and designated eating areas.

Hand washing facilities are a must for all employees exposed to cadmium. Showers help eliminate the risk of workers bringing cadmium dust home to their families. Showers also help prevent the risk of ingesting and inhaling cadmium dust after workers have stopped working.

Workers exposed to cadmium are provided with protective clothing and must not leave work while still wearing this clothing to avoid bringing cadmium dust back home. Because of this, employers must provide changing areas. Changing areas must include separate storage areas for protective work clothing and street clothes, so that the work clothing does not contaminate a worker's normal clothing.

Employers must also provide eating areas that are as free as possible from cadmium dust. This is another reason for changing rooms, since workers must not wear their protective clothing into the eating area if the clothing is contaminated.

To learn more about Cadmium Safety visit our Cadmium Safety Online Training web page.