Respirators for Cadmium

The exposure limits

What the federal rule says

Each entry is condensed from the paragraph cited; the paragraph itself is the rule and the link opens it.

29 CFR 1910.1027(g)(3)(i): Employers must select, and provide to employees, the appropriate respirators specified in paragraph (d)(3)(i)(A) of 29 CFR 1910.134; provide employees with full facepiece respirators when they experience eye irritation; provide HEPA filters for powered and non-powered air-purifying respirators.

29 CFR 1910.1027(g)(3)(ii): The employer must provide an employee with a powered air-purifying respirator instead of a negative-pressure respirator when an employee who is entitled to a respirator chooses to use this type of respirator and such a respirator provides adequate protection.

29 CFR 1910.146(b) note (IDLH): Some materials - hydrogen fluoride gas and cadmium vapor, for example - may produce immediate transient effects that, even if severe, may pass without medical attention, but are followed by sudden, possibly fatal collapse 12-72 hours after exposure. Such materials in hazardous quantities are considered to be immediately dangerous to life or health.

Source: 29 CFR, Occupational Safety and Health Standards, as published by OSHA (ecfr.gov / osha.gov), read Nov 2–3 2026.

California (Cal/OSHA)

Each entry is condensed from the paragraph cited; the paragraph itself is the rule and the link opens it.

Title 8 §5207 and §1532: California's cadmium standards carry the same PEL and refer respirator use to §5144.

Source: California Code of Regulations, Title 8, as published by Cal/OSHA (dir.ca.gov), read Nov 2–3 2026.

What the makers' data lists for cadmium dust and fume

The cadmium standard requires HEPA filters on air-purifying respirators (P100 meets the 99.97% definition); Dräger's selection guide lists cadmium dust, fume, chloride and sulphate.

North cartridges and filters whose chart entry covers it

Source: North Cartridge & Filter Reference Chart; NIOSH approval labels (PIP).

North facepieces

Source: North product sheets (PIP).

Dräger filters listed for it

Source: Dräger Guide for Selection and Use of Respiratory Filtering Devices, NIOSH (DMC-104642); Dräger X-plore Bayonet Filters NIOSH product information (DMC-109824); Dräger X-plore 8000 product information (DMC-102510).

Dräger masks

Source: Dräger Product Catalog, Industrial Applications (DMC-107423).

Dräger X-plore 8000 PAPR blowers

Source: Dräger X-plore 8000 product information (DMC-102510).

Dräger selection guide entries

4 entries in the Dräger respiratory selection guide match cadmium dust and fume; each names the filters by part number.

Source: Dräger Respiratory Protection Selection Guide (PIP document library).

Assigned protection factor

Source: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134 Table 1 (Assigned Protection Factors). The APF applies only when the respirator is used in a program that meets the standard, including fit testing of tight-fitting facepieces (29 CFR 1910.134(f)) and a cartridge change schedule (29 CFR 1910.134(d)(3)(iii)).

Guides: half mask vs full facepiece · assigned protection factors · cartridge change schedules · P100 vs N95 vs R95 · what OSHA requires for fit testing · cleaning and storing respirators.

Respirators for Cadmium questions

What filter does the cadmium standard require? HEPA filters for powered and non-powered air-purifying respirators (29 CFR 1910.1027(g)(3)(i)(C)); P100 filters are 99.97% minimum efficiency.