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Medical examinations after chromic acid exposure

Summary An OSHA medical officer clarified examination timing under the chromic acid rule. The memorandum said periodic exams meant yearly unless stated otherwise, and a physician should evaluate skin after a spill or clothing saturation. It also addressed airborne exposure above a cited threshold. OSHA now archives the memorandum as potentially outdated.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1988-05-05
Date issued
May 5, 1988
Status
Archived by the agency
OSHA archives this memorandum and says it may no longer represent OSHA policy.
Status last verified October 10, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety OSHA 1910 Chromium Medical Surveillance
Source
View the official document

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The current status of this document is unclear
OSHA archives this memorandum and says it may no longer represent OSHA policy. It may no longer reflect the agency's current position. Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance, and verify current law before relying on anything here.
About this page: The full text below is the official document from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Ezel adds the plain-English summary and tracks the document's status. The official source linked on this page is authoritative for any reliance.

NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only.

May 5, 1988

MEMORANDUM FOR: THOMAS J. SHEPICH, Director Directorate of Compliance Programs

THRU: RALPH YODAIKEN, M.D., M.P.H., Director Office of Occupational Medicine
EDWARD BAIER, Director
Directorate of Technical Support

FROM: ANGELA PRESSON, M.D., M.P.H., Medical Officer Office of Occupational Medicine

SUBJECT: Medical Examinations for Employees Exposed to Chromic Acid

The term "periodic examination[s]" in 29 CFR [1910.124(h)(4)] means on a yearly basis unless otherwise indicated. At any time when there is a chromic acid spill onto an employee's skin or saturation of clothing, a physician should be responsible for evaluating and monitoring the skin area where chromic acid made contact with the skin.

When no chromic acid contact with skin has occurred, at an exposure to an airborne concentration above .05 mg/cubic meter (the ACGIH TLV for hexavalent chromium) or greater employees should be periodically examined.

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