General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

Chromium (VI) (Hexavalent Chromium)

Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05

29 CFR 1910.1026

29 CFR 1910.1026 protects general-industry workers from hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), a lung carcinogen, capping exposure at 5 µg/m³ as an 8-hour TWA with a 2.5 µg/m³ action level. Cr(VI) is often generated by welding or cutting stainless steel, not just handled as a chemical, so process operations must be assessed.

29 CFR 1910.1026 at a glance

PEL: 5 µg/m³ as an 8-hour TWA (29 CFR 1910.1026(c))
Action level: 2.5 µg/m³ (8-hr TWA): triggers monitoring and medical surveillance
Who it covers: General-industry employers whose work exposes workers to hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI))
Biggest source: Welding and cutting stainless steel: Cr(VI) is generated by the process, not just handled as a material
Max penalty (2026): $16,550 per serious violation; $165,514 per willful
The #1 confusion: You can create Cr(VI) by hot work even if you never buy it: welding stainless is the classic exposure

What 29 CFR 1910.1026 requires (plain English)

29 CFR 1910.1026 protects general-industry workers from hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), a potent lung carcinogen that also causes skin ulcers, nasal septum perforation, and asthma. The standard sets a permissible exposure limit of 5 micrograms of Cr(VI) per cubic meter of air as an 8-hour time-weighted average, and an action level of 2.5 µg/m³ that triggers exposure monitoring and medical-surveillance duties.

Cr(VI) exposure is often generated rather than purchased: welding or plasma-cutting stainless steel, chrome electroplating, painting with chromate primers, and working with certain pigments all release it. Employers must determine each worker's exposure through monitoring, use engineering and work-practice controls (local exhaust ventilation is the workhorse) to reduce exposure to the PEL, provide respirators where controls are not sufficient, and establish regulated areas or demarcation where the PEL is exceeded.

Above the action level, the standard requires periodic monitoring and a medical-surveillance program; it also mandates protective clothing where skin or eye contact with Cr(VI) can occur, hygiene areas, and information and training. Recordkeeping follows the access-to-records rule (1910.1020) with 30-year retention. The general-industry standard (1910.1026) is paired with a construction counterpart (1926.1126) that shares the same PEL and action level.

The regulatory text

“The employer shall ensure that no employee is exposed to an airborne concentration of chromium (VI) in excess of 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air (5 µg/m3), calculated as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA).”

29 CFR 1910.1026(c)

Key facts about 29 CFR 1910.1026

The Cr(VI) PEL is 5 µg/m³ as an 8-hour TWA (1910.1026(c)).
The action level is 2.5 µg/m³ (8-hr TWA) and triggers monitoring and medical surveillance.
Cr(VI) is a lung carcinogen and also causes skin ulcers, nasal perforation, and allergic asthma.
The biggest source is welding or cutting stainless steel; chrome plating and chromate paints are others.
Engineering controls such as local exhaust ventilation are the primary means of meeting the PEL (1910.1026(f)).
Medical surveillance is required for workers exposed at or above the action level for 30+ days a year (1910.1026(i)).
Cr(VI) exposure and medical records must be kept for employment plus 30 years via 1910.1020.

Scope: who 29 CFR 1910.1026 applies to

Regulatory framework: General Industry (29 CFR 1910)
Citation reference: 29 CFR 1910.1026
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 1910.1026

#	Employer obligation
1	Limit exposure to 5 µg/m³ PEL
2	Conduct initial exposure determination
3	Use engineering controls as primary method
4	Provide respiratory protection when above PEL
5	Provide medical surveillance
6	Establish regulated areas and hygiene practices

Summarized from the text of 29 CFR 1910.1026. Always read the full regulation for the binding language.

Common Hexavalent Chromium violations

Deficiencies OSHA cites under 29 CFR 1910.1026 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 determination for operations that can generate Cr(VI) (e.g., stainless welding): 1910.1026(d).
Exposures above the PEL without adequate engineering controls (1910.1026(f)).
No medical surveillance for workers at or above the action level 30+ days a year (1910.1026(i)).
No regulated-area demarcation or access control where the PEL is exceeded (1910.1026(e)).
No information and training on Cr(VI) hazards (1910.1026(l)).

You can generate hexavalent chromium without ever buying it

The most dangerous misconception is that Cr(VI) is only a concern for facilities that handle chromium chemicals. In fact the classic overexposures come from a process: welding, grinding, or plasma-cutting stainless steel and other chromium alloys creates Cr(VI) fume on the spot, even though the shop never purchased hexavalent chromium. Chrome electroplating and spraying chromate primers do the same. So a metal-fabrication or maintenance shop can exceed the 5 µg/m³ PEL through everyday hot work. Assess welding and cutting operations for Cr(VI), not just chemical storage. General industry follows 1910.1026; the same PEL applies in construction under 1926.1126.

What OSHA inspectors look for

A compliance officer identifies operations that could generate Cr(VI) (stainless welding, plating, chromate paints) checks exposure monitoring, whether engineering controls such as local exhaust ventilation come before respirators, and whether medical surveillance is provided above the action level. Assuming Cr(VI) is 'not used here' while welding stainless is the classic gap.

Example: how a violation is cited

A fabrication shop welds stainless steel with no ventilation and no exposure monitoring, generating Cr(VI) fume above the PEL. OSHA cites 1910.1026 for the overexposure and missing controls: a hazard the shop created by welding, not by buying chromium, with penalties from $16,550.

Illustrative example, not a specific OSHA case.

Hexavalent Chromium compliance checklist

Use this to evaluate your compliance with 29 CFR 1910.1026. Each item is a key requirement OSHA may verify during an inspection.

Identify operations that could generate or release Cr(VI) (stainless welding, plating, chromate paints) and monitor exposures.
Reduce exposures to the 5 µg/m³ PEL primarily with local exhaust ventilation and work-practice controls.
Provide respirators where controls cannot achieve the PEL, under a 1910.134 program.
Establish medical surveillance for workers exposed at or above the 2.5 µg/m³ action level for 30 or more days a year.
Provide protective clothing and hygiene areas where skin or eye contact with Cr(VI) can occur.
Train workers on Cr(VI) hazards and keep exposure and medical records for employment plus 30 years.

2026 penalties for 29 CFR 1910.1026

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)

Cr(VI) citations follow health inspections of welding, plating, and painting operations. Serious violations reach $16,550 and willful or repeat violations $165,514; unassessed welding fume is a common 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 Hexavalent Chromium compliance

Hexavalent chromium causes lung cancer and damages the skin and nasal passages, and the deadliest exposures are generated on the spot by welding and cutting stainless steel. Because employers assume they do not 'use' Cr(VI), the 5 µg/m³ limit is often exceeded unknowingly.

Free compliance tools for 29 CFR 1910.1026

Respiratory Protection Program Builder PPE Selector SDS Gap Analyzer

Hexavalent Chromium penalties by state

Penalties and enforcement vary by state. State-Plan states may impose higher penalties and additional requirements beyond federal 29 CFR 1910.1026.

Alabama Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia

View all 50 states + DC →

Frequently asked questions about 29 CFR 1910.1026

What is the OSHA hexavalent chromium PEL?

Under 1910.1026(c), no employee may be exposed to airborne hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) above 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air as an 8-hour time-weighted average. The standard also sets an action level of 2.5 µg/m³, which triggers periodic exposure monitoring and medical-surveillance obligations even before the PEL is reached.

How are workers exposed to hexavalent chromium?

Most often the exposure is generated by a process rather than handled as a purchased chemical. Welding, grinding, and plasma-cutting stainless steel and other chromium-containing alloys create Cr(VI) fume; chrome electroplating and spraying chromate-based primers and paints are other common sources. This is why metal fabrication, maintenance, and finishing shops can exceed the PEL even without buying hexavalent chromium.

When is medical surveillance required for hexavalent chromium?

Under 1910.1026(i), medical surveillance must be provided to employees exposed at or above the 2.5 µg/m³ action level for 30 or more days a year, to any worker showing signs of Cr(VI) exposure, and in emergencies. It includes examinations by a licensed physician focused on the skin, respiratory tract, and nasal passages, with follow-up as indicated.

What controls does OSHA require for hexavalent chromium?

Engineering and work-practice controls come first. Under 1910.1026(f), the employer must use controls such as local exhaust ventilation and process enclosure to reduce exposure to the 5 µg/m³ PEL, and may rely on respirators only where those controls are not sufficient or feasible. Regulated areas, protective clothing, hygiene facilities, training, and 30-year recordkeeping round out the program.

Regulatory history of 29 CFR 1910.1026

OSHA issued the hexavalent chromium standard in 2006 (71 FR 10099), lowering the PEL from the previous 52 µg/m³ ceiling (as CrO3) to 5 µg/m³ after litigation (Public Citizen v. OSHA) compelled a health-based limit. Separate but harmonized standards were issued for general industry (1910.1026), construction (1926.1126), and shipyards (1915.1026).

Related glossary terms

Key terms that appear in 29 CFR 1910.1026, each with a full plain-English explainer.

Hexavalent Chromium (Cr(VI))Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)Action Level Medical Surveillance Engineering Controls Respiratory Protection Program

Related guides & articles

Hexavalent Chromium Construction 1926.1126 OSHA Welding Safety Requirements: Construction Guide

Related OSHA standards

29 CFR 1910.1000

Air Contaminants / PELs

29 CFR 1910.1001

Asbestos (GI)

29 CFR 1910.1003

OSHA 13 Carcinogens

29 CFR 1910.1018

Inorganic Arsenic

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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