Respirators for Hexavalent Chromium

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 1910.1026(g)(1): Respiratory protection is required during periods necessary to install or implement feasible engineering and work practice controls; work operations, such as maintenance and repair activities, for which engineering and work practice controls are not feasible; work operations for which an employer has implemented all feasible engineering and work practice controls and such controls are not sufficient to reduce exposures to or below the PEL; work operations where employees are exposed above the PEL for fewer than 30 days per year, and the employer has elected not to implement engineering and work practice controls to achieve the PEL; or emergencies.

29 CFR 1910.1026(g)(2): Where respirator use is required by this section, the employer shall institute a respiratory protection program in accordance with § 1910.134, which covers each employee required to use a respirator.

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 §5206: California's chromium (VI) standard carries the same PEL and refers 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 chromium

Chromium (VI) in welding fume and chromate dusts is a particulate; P100 filters are listed by both makers (North chart; Dräger selection guide entry Chromium).

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).

North disposable respirators

Source: PIP Rich Product Data, October 2026.

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 disposable respirators

Source: Dräger X-plore 1300 NIOSH product information (DMC-109830).

Dräger selection guide entries

2 entries in the Dräger respiratory selection guide match chromium; 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 Hexavalent Chromium questions

What is the chromium VI PEL? 5 μg/m³ as an 8-hour TWA (29 CFR 1910.1026(c); Cal/OSHA §5206(c)); action level 2.5 μg/m³.