Cadmium
Australia Safework Australia
Transportation and Warehousing, Waste Management, Manufacturing, Construction
Cadmium is a soft, silvery, squashy metal similar to zinc. It’s found in batteries, pigments, coatings and platings, as a plastic stabiliser and in photovoltaic devices.
Examples of work using cadmium and its compounds include:
- welding, soldering, oxy-cutting and smelting
- welding or oxy-cutting of cadmium alloy and cadmium plate
- using cadmium-silver alloy for silver soldering or brazing
- electroplating
- making cadmium alloys
- extracting cadmium from mineral ore smelters
- opening containers and weighing out cadmium powders
- charging cadmium powders into process plant
- grinding, discharging and packaging cadmium powders
- working with nickel-cadmium batteries
- making and handling paint and plastic containing cadmium pigments and recycling the plastic
- textile production.
Baseline Testing
A baseline cadmium health monitoring medical contains the following tests:
- Demographic, medical and occupational history
- Respiratory function and past exposure questionnaire
- Medical Examination with particular focus on the respiratory system
- Urinalysis – Blood Protein and Sugar
- Spirometry (lung function) test
- Pathology – Spot urinary cadmium and β2-microglobulin screen.
- KINNECT Dr Review and Sign off
- Respirator fit test – Annual requirement
Periodic Testing | Annual
Biological Monitoring should be conducted as per the risk assessment.
Annual Medical Examination requirements include:
- Employer Section 1 form
- Pathology – Spot urinary cadmium and β2-microglobulin screen.
- Respirator fit test – Annual requirement
- KINNECT Dr Review and Sign off
* Results May Trigger an early periodic health assessment.
Frequency
Some health monitoring for Cadmium is carried out annually including the requirement for an annual respirator fit test.
Periodic Testing | 2 Yearly
Bi-Annual Medical Examination
- Employer Section 1 form
- Pathology – Spot urinary cadmium and β2-microglobulin screen.
- Respirator fit test – Annual requirement
- KINNECT Dr Review and Sign off
* Results May Trigger an early periodic health assessment.
Frequency
Some health monitoring for Cadmium is carried out bi-annually, note there is an annual requirement for a respirator fit test.
Exit Testing
A final cadmium health monitoring medical contains the following tests:
- Work and medical history
- Respiratory function and past exposure questionnaire
- Medical Examination with particular focus on the kidneys respiratory system
- Spirometry (lung function) test
- Counselling on the effect of smoking on cadmium exposure (if required)
- Pathology – Spot urinary cadmium and β2-microglobulin screen.
- Urinalysis – Blood Protein and Sugar
- KINNECT Dr Review and Sign off
Further Information
Safework Australia guidance for Cadmium:
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