Background Cadmium (Cd) is a soft, blue and white metal or grayish-white powder that is used as an anticorrosive for electroplated steel. Exposure occurs mainly in gas meter refurbishing, aircraft repair and shipyard industries. OSHA estimates that approximately 1,500,000 workers are at risk of exposure because they work in a specific industry or because they come in contact with compounds that contain cadmium. Sources of exposure include: smelting operations, electroplating baths and cadmium oxide in soaps that are used to stabilize plastics. It can also be found in certain paints, batteries and phosphate fertilizers. Cadmium is considered a potential lung carcinogen. Breathing […]