Inorganic Arsenic Awareness for General Industry and Construction

Overview

Who Should take this course?

This Inorganic Arsenic Awareness for General Industry and Construction course provides a general awareness of the risks and the regulatory requirements for protecting employees who work across the many industries in which exposure to inorganic arsenic may occur, as required by OSHA.

While arsenic is a natural component of the earth’s crust, in its inorganic form it is highly toxic. It is used industrially as an alloying agent (primarily of lead), as well as in the processing of glass, pigments, textiles, paper, metal adhesives, wood preservatives, and ammunition, the manufacture of semiconductors, as well as in the hide tanning process and, to a limited extent in pesticides, feed additives, and pharmaceuticals where its use is now restricted. Exposure may also occur in the smelting of various substances and when transportation bulk arsenic and bulk arsenicals.

The EPA and the International Agency for Research on Cancer have both classified inorganic arsenic as carcinogenic. Studies have confirmed inorganic arsenic to be strongly associated with lung cancer when inhaled and with skin cancers and bladder, liver, and lung cancer when ingested. Short-term exposure via inhalation of arsine, the poisonous gas used in the semi-conductor industry, has resulted in death; it has been reported that a half-hour exposure to 25 to 50 parts per million (ppm) can be lethal. The major effects from acute arsine exposure in humans include headaches, vomiting, abdominal pains, hemolytic anemia, hemoglobinuria, and jaundice; these effects can lead to kidney failure.

Objectives

The objective of this Inorganic Arsenic Awareness for General Industry and Construction course is to provide a general awareness of the risks and the regulatory requirements for protecting employees who work across the many industries where inorganic arsenic is used, as required by OSHA.

The course will also introduce students to the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations for Inorganic Arsenic, Subpart Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances - 29 CFR 1910.1018.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Explain what inorganic arsenic is;
• Identify where workers may encounter inorganic arsenic;
• Describe hazards and health effects of inorganic arsenic exposure;
• Demonstrate an understanding of OSHA’s Inorganic Arsenic Standard;
• Identify and describe OSHA methods of compliance to prevent inorganic arsenic exposure; and
• Explain medical surveillance and hazard communication requirements for inorganic arsenic.

Exams

This course has one final exam based upon the material in the 2 course sections.

This course has one final exam based upon the material in the 3 course sections.

The exam consists of 10 questions selected at random from a larger pool of questions. A score of 70% or better is required to pass each exam. Students who do not pass the exam the first time may retake it as many times as necessary in order to pass.

Training Requirements

Employers are required to provide information and training for each affected employee prior to or at the time of initial assignment to a job involving potential exposure to Inorganic Arsenic. Employers must inform affected employees of the requirements of the Inorganic Arsenic Standard and its appendices as well as how to access or obtain a copy of it in the workplace.

Employers must assure that each employee in informed of the following:

• The quantity, location, manner of use, storage, sources of exposure, and the specific nature of operations which could result in exposure to inorganic arsenic as well as any necessary protective steps;
• The purpose, proper use, and limitation of respirators;
• The purpose and a description of the medical surveillance program required by the Standard;
• The engineering controls and work practices associated with the employee’s job assignment;
• A review of the content of the Standard; and
• The information contained in Appendix A of the Standard.

Additionally, workers must receive training, when required by OSHA standards, on the specific hazards of their job. Training providers should be used to ensure credibility and augment a company’s training program. Therefore, in addition to the training provided by an outside party, a student should receive site-specific training supplied by their employer. This training should target the company’s unique approach to hazard prevention, including the use of site-specific equipment, health and safety policies, and emergency procedures. As a rule, this company-specific training should be well documented.

Mobile version

This course is available in HTML5, so it works in the browser on your smartphone or tablet. It only needs the most recent version of your device's web browser.

Tablets work much better than smartphones, simply due to their screen size. The newer the device, the better the result. The course will not work on the first generation iPad, nor older Android tablets.

Frequently asked questions