General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

Inorganic Arsenic

Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05

29 CFR 1910.1018

29 CFR 1910.1018 protects general-industry workers from inorganic arsenic, a carcinogen linked to lung and skin cancer found in copper smelting, glass, semiconductor, and pesticide and wood-treating operations. It caps exposure at 10 µg/m³ as an 8-hour TWA with a 5 µg/m³ action level, requiring monitoring, engineering controls, regulated areas, and medical surveillance.

29 CFR 1910.1018 at a glance

PEL: 10 µg/m³ as an 8-hour TWA (29 CFR 1910.1018(c))
Action level: 5 µg/m³ (8-hr TWA): triggers monitoring and medical surveillance
Health effect: Carcinogen: lung and skin cancer
Where used: Copper smelting, glass, semiconductors, pesticides and wood treating
Max penalty (2026): $16,550 per serious violation; $165,514 per willful
The #1 confusion: The standard covers inorganic arsenic, not the less-toxic organic arsenic in some foods

What 29 CFR 1910.1018 requires (plain English)

29 CFR 1910.1018 protects general-industry workers from inorganic arsenic: a naturally occurring metalloid and a confirmed human carcinogen associated with lung cancer, skin cancer, and other malignancies. Workers are exposed to arsenic dust and fume in copper and lead smelting and roasting, glass manufacturing, semiconductor production, and the manufacture and use of arsenical pesticides and wood preservatives.

The standard sets a permissible exposure limit of 10 µg/m³ as an 8-hour time-weighted average and an action level of 5 µg/m³ that triggers monitoring and medical surveillance. Where exposures exceed the PEL, engineering and work-practice controls (local exhaust ventilation, enclosure, wet methods, housekeeping) are the primary means of compliance, with regulated areas, respirators, protective clothing, hygiene facilities, and training added.

1910.1018 is a Subpart Z substance-specific health standard. Because arsenic's cancers appear years after exposure and it is released as fine dust and fume, the standard emphasizes airborne monitoring, dust control, and long-term medical surveillance.

The regulatory text

“The employer shall assure that no employee is exposed to inorganic arsenic at concentrations greater than 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air (10 µg/m3), averaged over any 8-hour period.”

29 CFR 1910.1018(c)

Key facts about 29 CFR 1910.1018

The inorganic arsenic PEL is 10 µg/m³ as an 8-hour TWA (1910.1018(c)).
The action level is 5 µg/m³ (8-hr TWA) and triggers monitoring and medical surveillance.
Inorganic arsenic is a carcinogen: it causes lung and skin cancer.
Exposure occurs in smelting, glass, semiconductors, and wood-treating and pesticides.
Engineering controls (ventilation, enclosure, wet methods) are the primary means of compliance.
The standard covers inorganic arsenic, not the less-toxic organic arsenic.
Medical surveillance includes chest and respiratory evaluation for exposed workers.

Scope: who 29 CFR 1910.1018 applies to

Regulatory framework: General Industry (29 CFR 1910)
Citation reference: 29 CFR 1910.1018
Enforcement status: In force and enforced
Jurisdiction: Federal OSHA (29 State-Plan jurisdictions may be stricter)

State-Plan states (e.g. California, Washington, Michigan) operate OSHA-approved programs that must be at least as effective as federal OSHA and frequently impose higher penalties or additional requirements. Confirm the rule as adopted in your state.

Key requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1018

#	Employer obligation
1	Limit exposure to 10 µg/m³ PEL
2	Conduct initial and periodic exposure monitoring
3	Provide medical surveillance
4	Establish regulated areas and hygiene practices
5	Maintain records for 40 years

Summarized from the text of 29 CFR 1910.1018. Always read the full regulation for the binding language.

Common Inorganic Arsenic violations

Deficiencies OSHA cites under 29 CFR 1910.1018 include the ones below, in no particular order. Distinct deficiencies can be cited as separate items, and each serious item carries up to $16,550 (2026). Broader per-instance stacking exists but is a discretionary, case-by-case OSHA enforcement policy, not an automatic multiplier.

No exposure monitoring in smelting, glass, or wood-treating operations (1910.1018(e)).
Exposures above the PEL without adequate ventilation or enclosure (1910.1018(g)).
No medical surveillance for workers at or above the action level (1910.1018(n)).
No regulated area where exposure exceeds the PEL (1910.1018(f)).
No hygiene facilities or protective clothing for arsenic work (1910.1018(m) and (j)).

The standard covers inorganic arsenic: organic arsenic is a different, less-toxic matter

A common confusion is between inorganic arsenic, which 1910.1018 regulates, and organic arsenic compounds, which are generally far less toxic and appear in some foods (such as seafood). The standard's 10 µg/m³ PEL and its cancer-based requirements apply to inorganic arsenic: the form found as dust and fume in smelting, glass, semiconductor, and wood-treating work. Employers sometimes point to the low toxicity of organic arsenic to downplay exposure, but that is irrelevant to occupational inorganic-arsenic exposure. The standard makes clear it is inorganic arsenic, arsenic and all inorganic compounds containing arsenic, that must be controlled.

What OSHA inspectors look for

A compliance officer checks exposure monitoring in smelting, roasting, glass, and wood-treating operations, verifies engineering controls and regulated areas where the PEL is exceeded, and confirms medical surveillance (including chest and respiratory evaluation) above the action level. Dust from arsenic-bearing materials without ventilation is the classic finding.

Example: how a violation is cited

Workers at a copper smelter breathe arsenic-bearing dust and fume near roasters with inadequate ventilation and no monitoring. OSHA cites 1910.1018 for exposure above the 10 µg/m³ PEL and missing surveillance, with penalties from $16,550.

Illustrative example, not a specific OSHA case.

Inorganic Arsenic compliance checklist

Use this to evaluate your compliance with 29 CFR 1910.1018. Each item is a key requirement OSHA may verify during an inspection.

Identify arsenic sources (smelting, glass, semiconductors, wood treating) and monitor exposures.
Reduce exposure to the 10 µg/m³ PEL with ventilation, enclosure, wet methods, and housekeeping.
Provide medical surveillance for workers at or above the 5 µg/m³ action level.
Establish regulated areas where exposure exceeds the PEL.
Provide protective clothing, hygiene facilities, and respirators as needed.
Train workers on the cancer hazard and on dust and fume control.

2026 penalties for 29 CFR 1910.1018

Maximums set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d). 2026 amounts unchanged from 2025 (no CPI adjustment; OMB M-26-11). Not an increase. The 2025 OSHA penalty levels remain in effect for 2026; OSHA made no inflation adjustment for 2026. 29 CFR 1903.15 identifies January 15, 2025 as the effective reference for these amounts, while OSHA's public penalties page currently references penalties assessed after Jan. 15, 2026.

Violation type	Minimum	Maximum	When it applies
Serious	$1,085	$16,550	Substantial probability of death or serious physical harm.
Other-Than-Serious	$0	$16,550	Relates to safety/health but unlikely to cause death or serious harm.
Willful	$11,823	$165,514	Intentional, knowing, or voluntary disregard of the requirement.
Repeated	$4,256	$165,514	A substantially similar violation cited within the last 5 years.
Failure to Abate	None	$16,550/day	up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6)

Arsenic citations follow health inspections of smelting, glass, and wood-treating operations. Serious violations reach $16,550 and willful or repeat violations $165,514; dust exposure above the PEL without controls is the usual finding.

Maximums and the willful minimum are set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d); the serious and repeated minimums are OSHA policy floors from its annual penalty adjustment memo. OSHA applies gravity-based and size, good-faith and history reductions (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch.6). Estimates only, not legal advice.

The business case for Inorganic Arsenic compliance

Inorganic arsenic is a well-established human carcinogen, it causes lung and skin cancer and is linked to other cancers, and it is released as dust and fume in smelting, glass, and wood-treating work. Keeping exposure under the 10 µg/m³ PEL with ventilation, enclosure, and monitoring is what protects smelter and wood-treatment workers from decades-delayed cancer.

Free compliance tools for 29 CFR 1910.1018

SDS Gap Analyzer Respiratory Protection Program Builder PPE Selector

Inorganic Arsenic penalties by state

Penalties and enforcement vary by state. State-Plan states may impose higher penalties and additional requirements beyond federal 29 CFR 1910.1018.

Alabama Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia

View all 50 states + DC →

Frequently asked questions about 29 CFR 1910.1018

What is the OSHA inorganic arsenic PEL?

Under 1910.1018(c), the permissible exposure limit for inorganic arsenic is 10 µg/m³ as an 8-hour time-weighted average. An action level of 5 µg/m³ (8-hour TWA) triggers exposure monitoring and medical-surveillance obligations. The standard also requires engineering controls, regulated areas, and protective equipment where the PEL is exceeded.

Where are workers exposed to inorganic arsenic?

Mainly in copper and lead smelting and roasting, glass manufacturing, semiconductor production (gallium arsenide), and the manufacture and use of arsenical pesticides and wood preservatives. Exposure is to arsenic dust and fume. 1910.1018 applies wherever workers can be exposed to inorganic arsenic above the action level.

Does the arsenic standard cover organic arsenic?

No. 1910.1018 regulates inorganic arsenic, arsenic and its inorganic compounds, which is the carcinogenic form found as workplace dust and fume. Organic arsenic compounds, such as those in some seafood, are generally much less toxic and are outside the standard's scope. The occupational exposure that matters for this standard is inorganic.

What cancers is inorganic arsenic linked to?

Inorganic arsenic is a confirmed human carcinogen most strongly associated with lung cancer (from inhalation) and skin cancer, and it is also linked to bladder and other cancers. Because these effects appear years after exposure, 1910.1018 requires long-term medical surveillance, including chest and respiratory evaluation, for workers exposed at or above the action level.

Regulatory history of 29 CFR 1910.1018

OSHA issued the inorganic arsenic standard in 1978 (43 FR 19584), lowering the 8-hour PEL to 10 µg/m³ after epidemiology showed excess lung and skin cancer among copper-smelter and pesticide workers. It remains the principal protection for smelting, glass, and wood-treating workers exposed to arsenic dust and fume.

Related glossary terms

Key terms that appear in 29 CFR 1910.1018, each with a full plain-English explainer.

Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)Action Level Medical Surveillance Engineering Controls Respiratory Protection Program Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

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Primary sources

OSHA figures on this page are imported from HazComFast's verified regulatory module (verified 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register).

This page is an educational summary, not legal advice. OSHA standards and penalty amounts change; confirm requirements against the current regulation and your applicable State-Plan before acting.

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