Molten metal safety written program for a small die casting shop

Last updated 2026-07-11

Does OSHA require a written molten metal safety program?

No single OSHA standard is titled 'molten metal safety.' What OSHA has instead is a cluster of standards that all apply to die casting, plus the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act, Section 5(a)(1), which requires employers to keep the workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm ^[1]. That clause has teeth. OSHA has cited foundry and die casting shops under the General Duty Clause for molten metal explosion and burn hazards, and it does not need a separate standard on the books before it writes you up.

The specific standards you answer to include:

• 29 CFR 1910.132: PPE general requirements, including hazard assessment and employee training ^[2]
• 29 CFR 1910.133: Eye and face protection
• 29 CFR 1910.138: Hand protection
• 29 CFR 1910.94: Ventilation, especially for operations that release metal fumes and lubricant mists
• 29 CFR 1910.303 and 1910.305: Electrical safety near furnaces
• 29 CFR 1910.147: Lockout/tagout for furnace maintenance see also [lockout tagout]
• 29 CFR 1910.1200: Hazard communication for alloy additives, release agents, and flux chemicals see [hazard communication]
• 29 CFR 1910.38: Emergency action plans

So the written-program requirement comes from each of those standards on its own. 29 CFR 1910.132(d) requires a written certification of the hazard assessment. 1910.147 requires written procedures. 1910.1200 requires a written hazard communication program. Put plainly: you have paperwork obligations spread across half a dozen standards, and the cleanest way to handle them is one integrated written safety program that satisfies all of them at once.

What are the real injury risks in a small die casting operation?

Burns from molten metal splatter are the headline hazard, and they earn it. Aluminum die casting runs roughly 1,200 to 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit. Zinc sits lower, around 700 to 800 degrees. Any moisture in the die, shot sleeve, ingot, or return metal flashes to steam and ejects molten metal in a fraction of a second. That is a steam explosion. It happens faster than you can flinch.

Burns are not the whole story. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows foundry and casting workers with elevated rates of musculoskeletal disorders, eye injuries, and respiratory conditions from metal fume exposure ^[3]. Aluminum oxide and zinc oxide fumes at high concentrations cause metal fume fever. Lead, used historically as an alloy additive, carries its own requirements under 29 CFR 1910.1025 if it shows up above the action level.

Here are the major hazard categories your written program has to address:

Hazard	Primary Standard	Common Control
Molten metal splatter and burns	General Duty Clause, 1910.132	Proximity controls, PPE, dry tools/dies
Steam explosions from moisture	General Duty Clause	Preheat all tools/inserts, dry ingots
Metal fumes (Al, Zn, Pb)	1910.94, 1910.1025 (Pb)	Local exhaust ventilation, air monitoring
Ergonomic strain from ladles/dies	General Duty Clause	Mechanical lifting aids, job rotation
Electrical hazards near furnaces	1910.303	GFCI, grounding, lockout/tagout
Eye and face injuries	1910.133	Face shields, safety glasses
Housekeeping and slip/trip	1910.22	Clean floors, no coolant pooling

Small shops routinely underrate the explosion risk from wet tooling. OSHA compliance officers know to look for preheat procedures when they inspect a die casting shop. No documented procedure means a citation.

What should a die casting shop's written molten metal safety program actually include?

A written program that satisfies OSHA and actually protects workers needs the components below. Some run five pages. Some run one. All of them have to exist on paper.

1. Scope and purpose statement One paragraph. Names the facility, the alloys processed, and the operations covered (cold chamber aluminum, zinc hot chamber, trimming, secondary operations).

2. Hazard identification and assessment This is a safety tool and a regulatory requirement under 1910.132(d) at the same time. Document each task, the hazards present, and the controls picked. The written certification has to identify the workplace evaluated, the person who did the assessment, and the date. Keep it current when you add equipment or switch alloys.

3. Engineering and administrative controls Describe the ventilation system design and its maintenance schedule. Document procedures for preheating dies, tooling, ladles, and return scrap before they touch molten metal. Set written rules for who controls the furnace and charging area at any given moment. Minimum approach distances for non-essential people belong here.

4. PPE requirements by task Be specific. 'Wear appropriate PPE' is not compliant. For an operator at the machine, the minimum most shops use is aluminized or leather spats and gaiters, leather leggings, heat-resistant foundry gloves (not insulated work gloves, actual foundry gloves), a full-face shield rated for molten metal over safety glasses, and flame-resistant clothing. Sneakers and synthetic fabrics melt. Say that in plain language.

5. Safe work procedures (SWPs) Write a one-page SWP for each high-hazard task: furnace charging, metal transfer (ladle or automated), shot sleeve loading, die change, and scrap handling. Keep them short, but spell out the sequence of steps, the hazard at each step, and the control.

6. Lockout/tagout procedures for furnaces Furnace maintenance requires written machine-specific lockout procedures under 29 CFR 1910.147. Miss these and it is its own citation, separate from the molten metal program.

7. Emergency response procedures Under 29 CFR 1910.38 you need an emergency action plan. For a die casting shop that means procedures for a major molten metal spill, a furnace fire, and a steam explosion. List the nearest hospital with a burn center, the phone numbers, and who calls 911.

8. Training requirements and records Document what training is required before an employee works near molten metal, who delivers it, how it is verified, and when refreshers happen. Keep signed records. Inspectors ask for these first.

9. Program review schedule Annual at a minimum. Also after any incident, near-miss, or significant equipment change.

Building this from a blank page is slow. Tools like the SafetyFolio program generator draft a facility-specific version in about 15 minutes, which you then review and match to your real equipment and alloys. Faster than starting cold, but you still own the content.

What PPE does OSHA actually require for molten metal work?

OSHA does not publish a single 'molten metal PPE list.' The requirements come from 29 CFR 1910.132 (general PPE), 1910.133 (eye and face), and 1910.138 (hand protection), all applied against your written hazard assessment. In practice: assess the task, document the assessment, and pick PPE that actually stops the hazard. 'We have safety glasses available' is not a compliant PPE program ^[2].

For die casting, here is what OSHA-informed safety pros and North American Die Casting Association (NADCA) guidance point to:

• Face and eye: A full-face shield, shade #2 or #3 lens for furnace work, or clear for machine operators who are not viewing a furnace arc. Safety glasses underneath. A face shield alone is not compliant.
• Head: Hard hat wherever overhead hazards exist, which covers most furnace areas.
• Body: Flame-resistant clothing. Cotton is the traditional baseline and burns without melting. Treated FR cotton or an FR-rated blend is better. Aluminized splash jackets or aprons for anyone handling ladles or charging furnaces.
• Feet and legs: Leather boots with no exposed lace hooks (molten metal pools in lace hooks). Metatarsal guards for heavy die handling. Leather spats or gaiters over the boot top and lower leg.
• Hands: Foundry gloves rated for radiant and contact heat. General leather work gloves do not cut it for ladle work or die removal.

The standard says PPE must 'be of safe design and construction for the work to be performed' ^[2]. Your written program is where you turn that phrase into a list of specific required items by task. A table works well: task in one column, required PPE in the next.

How do you control moisture hazards and steam explosions in die casting?

This is the hazard that kills people. Moisture touching metal at 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit turns to steam almost instantly, expanding roughly 1,700 times in volume. That happens faster than any reflex. The result is a molten metal ejection that reaches across the room.

Write the control hierarchy for moisture into your program in this order:

Engineering controls first. Preheat ovens for ingots and return scrap are the single most important piece of equipment a die casting shop can own. Set and document minimum preheat temperatures and times. Many aluminum shops preheat to at least 400 degrees Fahrenheit to drive off surface moisture. Document the temperature your operation uses and why.

Written procedures for every tool. Any tool, rod, ladle, skimmer, or thermocouple that contacts molten metal gets preheated first. Write it as a hard rule, not a suggestion. Preheating a ladle means holding it near (not in) the bath for a set time, then submerging slowly. Your SWP should walk through it step by step.

Scrap and return metal handling. Never charge wet, painted, or oil-coated scrap without specific procedures. Organic coatings burn off and cause spatter. Moisture in hollow castings is an internal steam bomb. Your program needs a scrap inspection and conditioning procedure.

Die condition before cycling. Dies must be at operating temperature before the shot. A cold die hit with molten metal causes back-splatter. Document minimum die temperature for each die and alloy combination.

Spill containment. The floor around furnaces and casting machines stays dry, has no drains that could trap moisture under molten metal, and holds no material that reacts with aluminum or zinc. Concrete that has soaked up water spalls violently when hot metal lands on it.

What ventilation requirements apply to die casting operations?

29 CFR 1910.94 covers ventilation in general industry, and die casting falls under it for metal fume control. The standard sets velocity and capture requirements for local exhaust ventilation near operations that generate hazardous air contaminants ^[4].

Aluminum casting produces aluminum oxide fumes. Zinc casting produces zinc oxide fumes. The OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) for zinc oxide fume is 5 mg/m3 as an 8-hour time-weighted average ^[5]. The PEL for aluminum metal fume (total) is also 5 mg/m3 under the Table Z-1 limits in 29 CFR 1910.1000 ^[5]. The NIOSH recommended exposure limit for zinc oxide is 5 mg/m3, and NIOSH says outright that the older OSHA PELs may not reflect current science, since most of those limits were set in 1971 ^[12]. Many industrial hygienists use ACGIH threshold limit values as a tighter benchmark.

Your written program's ventilation section should include:

• A description of the local exhaust ventilation (LEV) system: type, placement, capture velocity at the source
• The maintenance schedule for filters, fans, and ductwork
• A procedure for checking capture velocity (smoke tube or anemometer) at set intervals
• An action level if ventilation fails mid-shift
• Air monitoring results, if you have them, with dates and the next monitoring due date

Shops that have never done air monitoring for metal fumes should book an initial industrial hygiene survey. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program runs free, confidential visits for small businesses and cannot result in citations ^[6]. That one is genuinely worth it.

How should employee training be documented for a molten metal safety program?

Training under the relevant standards is not optional paperwork. 29 CFR 1910.132(f) requires that employees know when PPE is needed, what PPE is required, how to put it on and take it off correctly, and the limits of the gear they're wearing ^[2]. That training has to be documented.

For a die casting shop, a workable training program covers:

1. Molten metal hazards and warning signs (steam, spatter, furnace abnormalities) 2. Why each task requires specific PPE, and how to inspect it before use 3. Moisture hazard recognition and the preheat procedures 4. Emergency response: what to do if someone is burned, what to do in a spill 5. Lockout/tagout for any maintenance on furnaces or machines 6. Hazard communication: which SDS documents exist for the shop's chemicals

Training records need the employee name, date, topics covered, and trainer name. A sign-in sheet with the training outline stapled to it satisfies the documentation requirement. Keep records for the length of employment plus at least a year.

New employees should never work near molten metal without this training completed and documented. Obvious on paper. In a small shop with turnover and production pressure, it is the single most common failure OSHA inspectors find.

Supervisors who want the broader picture can take OSHA 30 training, which covers general industry hazard recognition and the regulatory framework. It does not replace task-specific molten metal training, but it helps a supervisor understand what they're on the hook for.

For the full OSHA training picture, including which standards require refreshers and how often, that context helps you build a training calendar that holds up.

What does an OSHA inspection look for in a die casting shop?

OSHA inspections in die casting shops are rarely random. They come from referrals, worker complaints, or fatality and catastrophe reports. Foundry and metal casting has been a target of OSHA National Emphasis Programs over the years, so inspectors in your area may have specific casting-hazard training.

When a compliance officer walks into a small die casting shop, here is what they check first:

Physical conditions. Is the floor dry near the furnaces and machines? Are workers in FR clothing and proper face protection? Any spatter patterns that hint at uncontrolled ejection events? Are ladles and tools stored right?

Written program documentation. They ask for your PPE hazard assessment, your lockout/tagout procedures, your hazard communication program, and your emergency action plan. Cannot produce one on the spot? That is a citation for each missing document.

Training records. For every employee they see working near molten metal, they can ask for the record. 'We trained them, we just never wrote it down' does not satisfy 1910.132(f).

SDS access. Under 1910.1200, employees need immediate access to safety data sheets for every hazardous chemical in the shop. Release agents, fluxes, alloy additives, and cleaning solvents all need SDS documents on the floor, not locked in the office.

Ventilation. Is the local exhaust running? Does it look maintained? A clogged or bypassed system on a furnace is a serious finding.

Common foundry citations include willful General Duty Clause violations for known explosion hazards left uncontrolled. Those run up to $161,323 per violation as of 2024 ^[7]. Serious violations, where the employer knew or should have known of the hazard, run up to $16,131 per violation ^[7]. Small shops get no discount on those numbers.

On the reporting side, a proper incident report file is part of what inspectors will want to see.

How do you write lockout/tagout procedures for furnaces and die casting machines?

29 CFR 1910.147 requires written, machine-specific energy control procedures for any equipment where servicing could expose a worker to unexpected energization or stored energy release ^[8]. Furnaces and die casting machines carry several energy sources at once: electrical (heating elements, hydraulics, controls), hydraulic (injection and clamping on cold chamber machines), pneumatic, thermal (residual heat in the lining and metal), and gravitational (raised platens or die holders).

A furnace lockout procedure has to specify:

• Every energy source on that specific machine
• The location of each isolation point (breaker, valve, and so on)
• The lockout device used at each point
• Steps to release stored energy (bleed hydraulic lines, allow thermal cool-down)
• The verification step before work starts

Thermal energy deserves its own callout. You cannot lock out heat the way you lock out electricity. Your procedure needs a minimum cool-down time or temperature before anyone works inside the furnace, and how that temperature gets verified. This is where small shops run on informal habit that does not match OSHA's requirement for documented verification.

On the machine side, hydraulic energy is the main hazard during die changes. A large cold chamber clamping system exerts thousands of tons of force. Your procedure must spell out how to confirm the system is depressurized before anyone reaches into the die area.

A full lockout tagout program is its own written document, not a paragraph inside your molten metal program. In practice, the two reference each other.

How often do you need to review and update a written molten metal safety program?

None of the specific standards (1910.132, 1910.147, 1910.1200, 1910.38) set a blanket annual review mandate, but several require review after certain triggers. 29 CFR 1910.38(b)(4) requires that your emergency action plan be reviewed whenever the plan changes, employee responsibilities change, or the employer has reason to believe the plan will not work as written ^[9].

Best practice, backed by OSHA's general industry guidance, is an annual review plus a review triggered by any of these:

• A recordable injury or near-miss involving molten metal
• New alloys or process chemicals
• New or replacement furnace equipment
• Shop layout changes that affect evacuation or spill containment
• New OSHA standards or enforcement guidance touching your operations
• Turnover in the person responsible for safety

Document each review: date, who took part, what got reviewed, and any changes made. A one-page review memo kept with the program is enough. The point is to show OSHA (and yourself) that the program is a living document, not something printed once and buried in a drawer.

Small shops nail the first draft and then let it drift. The program on file says 'aluminum alloy 380' while the shop added a magnesium alloy two years back. Magnesium has completely different fire and explosion behavior. That kind of drift is real hazard and real citation exposure. Set a calendar reminder.

What are the specific hazards of magnesium die casting that need separate program treatment?

Magnesium die casting is growing in automotive work because of weight-reduction targets. If your shop runs magnesium, your program needs a dedicated section. Magnesium is far more dangerous than aluminum or zinc on the fire side.

Magnesium fires burn above 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit and cannot be put out with water. Water on a magnesium fire causes a violent steam explosion and scatters burning metal. Standard dry chemical extinguishers are useless or make it worse. The correct agent is a Class D dry powder extinguisher formulated for combustible metals, such as Met-L-X or Lith-X ^[10].

OSHA's general guidance for combustible metal operations calls for:

• Class D extinguishers matched to the metal in use, placed within reach in the work area
• Written emergency procedures specific to magnesium fire response
• Training on magnesium fire hazards and the flat prohibition on water
• Housekeeping procedures for magnesium swarf and dust, which are combustible at fine particle sizes

If you run both aluminum and magnesium, your program must make clear which procedures apply to which metal. Mixed tooling, shared furnaces, or shared scrap bins between the two create extra hazard and need explicit treatment.

Magnesium also needs specific die lubricant management. Some lubricants that are safe with aluminum are not compatible with magnesium at operating temperature. Your program should reference the SDS for each lubricant and confirm it works with the alloys you run.

How does the written program connect to your overall OSHA compliance picture?

A molten metal safety program does not stand alone. It is one piece of what OSHA expects a general industry employer to keep on file. For a small die casting shop, your written program library should also hold a hazard communication program (1910.1200), a lockout/tagout program (1910.147), an emergency action plan (1910.38), and a PPE program (1910.132). Run forklifts in the shop and you also need a powered industrial truck program plus documented operator certification. See forklift certification for what that takes.

Think of the molten metal program as the operations-specific layer sitting on top of those foundational programs. It points back to them and adds the task-level detail generic programs miss. When an inspector reviews your stack, they want coherence: do the procedures in the molten metal program reference the same PPE categories that show up in your hazard assessment? Does the emergency response section tie back to your emergency action plan?

Starting from nothing? Prioritize like this: (1) the PPE hazard assessment and certification (required for compliance), (2) furnace lockout procedures, (3) the emergency action plan, (4) the hazard communication program, and (5) the molten metal safe work procedures. Do not let perfect beat good. A workable first draft you actually use and review beats a polished document that sits in a drawer.

SafetyFolio's program generator is one way to produce a compliant first draft fast, especially for a shop with no dedicated safety manager. You answer questions about your equipment and alloys and get a document built around the applicable standards. You still review it and add your facility details, but the structure and regulatory references are already in place.

The real goal here is not paperwork. Molten metal injuries are severe. Burns from casting operations usually mean hospitalization, often reconstructive surgery, and frequently permanent disability. The written program is how a small shop owner makes sure every worker, including the one hired last Tuesday, knows the hazards and how to control them.

Frequently asked questions

Is there one OSHA standard that specifically covers die casting operations?

No. OSHA has no single standard dedicated to die casting or foundry operations in general industry. Compliance comes from several overlapping standards: 29 CFR 1910.132 (PPE), 1910.94 (ventilation), 1910.147 (lockout/tagout), 1910.1200 (hazard communication), 1910.38 (emergency action plans), and the General Duty Clause. That is exactly why one written program tying them together is so useful.

How long does it take to write a molten metal safety program for a small shop?

A basic compliant program covering the required elements takes most small shop owners 8 to 20 hours from scratch, longer if you're researching the standards at the same time. A structured template or program generator compresses that to a few hours of drafting plus review. The customization for your specific equipment and alloys cannot be skipped, no matter how you start.

What is the minimum PPE required for workers at a die casting machine?

OSHA requires PPE based on a written hazard assessment, not a fixed list. For most machine operators, the minimum that satisfies that assessment includes FR clothing, leather boots with no exposed hooks, a full-face shield worn over safety glasses, and foundry-grade gloves. Workers directly handling ladles or charging furnaces need more: aluminized aprons or jackets and leather leg protection.

Can a small business get free help writing a safety program from OSHA?

Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program gives free, confidential workplace safety consultations to small and medium-sized businesses. It is walled off from enforcement: consultants cannot issue citations and are not required to report findings to OSHA inspectors. Consultations run through state programs. Find your state's program at osha.gov.

What fire extinguisher type is required for a magnesium die casting operation?

Class D extinguishers containing combustible metal agents (Met-L-X or Lith-X, for example) are required for magnesium fires. Standard ABC dry chemical extinguishers are not effective and can worsen a magnesium fire. Water and CO2 must never be used on magnesium. Your written program should specify the extinguisher type, location, and inspection schedule.

How do you document a PPE hazard assessment for a die casting shop?

29 CFR 1910.132(d) requires a written certification identifying the workplace evaluated, the person who did the assessment, and the date. Most shops use a table: each task or job in one column, hazards in the next, then selected PPE controls. The document must be signed and dated by the person who performed the assessment. Keep it current when tasks or equipment change.

What should a molten metal spill response procedure include?

Your spill procedure should cover alerting everyone in the area immediately, the evacuation path away from the spill, who is authorized to respond and from what distance, what tools or sand handle containment once the metal solidifies, and when it is safe to return. It must state that water never contacts a molten metal spill. Train every employee on it, not only production workers.

How often should die casting workers be retrained on molten metal safety?

OSHA requires retraining when the employer has reason to believe an employee lacks the understanding or skill required (29 CFR 1910.132(f)(3)). Beyond that trigger, annual refresher training is standard industry practice and gives you proof the program is active. Retraining is also required after any incident or near-miss involving molten metal, no matter what the calendar says.

What OSHA penalties apply if a die casting shop has a molten metal violation?

As of 2024, serious violations carry penalties up to $16,131 each. Willful violations, where OSHA shows the employer knew of the hazard and chose not to fix it, run up to $161,323 each. A steam explosion that results in a hospitalization triggers an OSHA inspection and usually brings multiple violations at once across the PPE, ventilation, and lockout/tagout standards.

Do I need air monitoring for metal fumes in my die casting shop?

OSHA does not require monitoring unless you have reason to believe exposures may approach a permissible exposure limit. But if you cannot show through engineering controls and operational data that exposures sit well below the PEL, monitoring is the only way to know for sure. The OSHA On-Site Consultation Program can help small shops run initial monitoring at no cost. Lead-containing alloys trigger mandatory monitoring under 29 CFR 1910.1025.

What records from a molten metal safety program does OSHA want to see during an inspection?

Inspectors usually ask for the written PPE hazard assessment certification, machine-specific lockout/tagout procedures, the hazard communication program and SDS index, training records for everyone working near molten metal, the emergency action plan, and any ventilation testing records. If you have had a recordable injury, they will also review your OSHA 300 log and incident investigation reports.

Does a written safety program protect a small business from OSHA fines?

A written program is not a defense to a citation if the hazard still exists. But a well-run program, with evidence of training, inspections, and corrective action, can support a case for reducing penalties. OSHA's penalty calculation weighs good faith effort, which a functioning written program documents. A program that exists only on paper, with no proof of implementation, shows no good faith at all.

What is the General Duty Clause and how does it apply to die casting?

Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm, even where no specific standard covers the hazard. OSHA uses it in die casting for explosion and burn hazards the industry recognizes. A citation requires OSHA to show the hazard was recognized, the employer could have fixed it, and a feasible means of abatement existed.

How do I handle hazard communication requirements for the chemicals used in die casting?

Under 29 CFR 1910.1200, you need a written hazard communication program, an SDS for every hazardous chemical in the shop (release agents, flux, alloy additives, degreasers), a chemical inventory, and training on how to read an SDS and understand chemical hazards. SDSs must be immediately accessible to workers on the floor during every shift, not only during business hours.

Sources

1. OSHA, OSH Act Section 5(a)(1) General Duty Clause: Employers must provide a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm, even without a specific standard covering the hazard.
2. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.132 Personal Protective Equipment General Requirements: 29 CFR 1910.132(d) requires a written certification of the PPE hazard assessment; 1910.132(f) requires documented employee training on PPE selection and use.
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program: BLS data show foundry and die casting workers face elevated rates of musculoskeletal disorders, eye injuries, and respiratory conditions from metal fume exposure.
4. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.94 Ventilation: 29 CFR 1910.94 sets specific velocity and capture requirements for local exhaust ventilation near operations that generate hazardous air contaminants, including metal fumes.
5. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.1000 Air Contaminants (Z-Table): The OSHA PEL for zinc oxide fume is 5 mg/m3 as an 8-hour TWA; the PEL for aluminum metal fume (total) is 5 mg/m3 under Table Z-1.
6. OSHA, On-Site Consultation Program for Small Business: OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program provides free, confidential safety consultations to small businesses and cannot result in citations or penalties.
7. OSHA, Penalties for OSHA Violations (2024 penalty levels): As of 2024, serious violations carry maximum penalties of $16,131 per violation; willful violations carry maximum penalties of $161,323 per violation.
8. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.147 Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout): 29 CFR 1910.147 requires written, machine-specific energy control procedures for any equipment where servicing could expose workers to unexpected energization or stored energy release.
9. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.38 Emergency Action Plans: 29 CFR 1910.38(b)(4) requires the emergency action plan to be reviewed whenever it changes, employee responsibilities change, or the employer has reason to believe it will not work.
10. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.157 Portable Fire Extinguishers: Portable fire extinguishers must be selected and distributed based on the class of anticipated fire; combustible metal fires require Class D extinguishing agents.
11. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.1200 Hazard Communication Standard: 1910.1200 requires a written hazard communication program, SDS for all hazardous chemicals, a chemical inventory, and employee training on chemical hazards.
12. NIOSH, Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (zinc oxide entry): NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) for zinc oxide fume is 5 mg/m3 as a 10-hour TWA; NIOSH notes the older OSHA PELs may not reflect current science.