Of the 16 violations, 14 of them were considered serious violations in which there is substantial probability that death or serious harm may occur.

One serious violation included the company's failure to protect employees from exposure to hexavalent chromium by ensuring that employees remove contaminated clothing and shower prior to leaving the working facility. Additionally, management at the plant failed to supply free medical examinations for employees showing symptoms of hexavalent chromium exposure.

Exposure to hexavalent chromium for extended time periods increases the risk of lung cancer. Workers are especially susceptible given that they are exposed frequently and for long durations. Inhaling high levels of hexavalent chromium can also damage the nose, throat and lungs. Direct contact with hexavalent chromium in high concentrations or for long periods of time can damage the eyes and skin.

'Hexavalent chromium is used in many industrial productssuch as metal alloys, anticorrosive agents and pigments,  exposures to which may occur in industrial processes such as painting, plating, conversion, and  welding,' states Vince Daliessio, CIH, Project Manager at EMSL Analytical. 'EMSL is one of the nation's leading industrial hygiene testing laboratories and offers advanced testing for hexavalent chromium  needed to achieve compliance with OSHA's  hexavalent chromium standard.'

For more information on EMSL's testing services, please contact EMSL at (800) 220-3675, visit www.EMSL.com, or email  info@EMSL.com .

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical, Inc. is a full service testing company providing quality lab services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. We provide analytical services for environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, forensics, materials science, consumer products, food safety, PCR, pharmaceutical, asbestos, lead, and radiological samples. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as state and federal regulating bodies. Please see our website for a complete listing of accreditations.