1910.1026(h): Protective Clothing for Chromium (VI)
Where skin or eye contact with chromium (VI) is a hazard or likely, employers must provide suitable protective clothing and equipment at no cost and make sure workers use it. Workers must remove contaminated gear at the end of the shift or task, whichever comes first, and must not take it home. Contaminated gear must be carried in sealed, impermeable, labeled bags or containers, and cleaned or replaced as needed, never cleaned by blowing or shaking.
Key takeaways
- 1910.1026(h) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910).
- OSHA cited it 30 times in the last 3 years, in 20 inspections, with $122,523 in current penalties.
- Most citations: MI (6), ID (5), GA (3).
- Related part: 1910.1026(h)(1) Provision and use (14 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.1026(h) ("Protective work clothing and equipment") is one requirement inside 1910.1026 Chromium (VI), an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910). It includes 10 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(h) Protective work clothing and equipment — 30 citations
(1) Provision and use. Where a hazard is present or is likely to be present from skin or eye contact with chromium (VI), the employer shall provide appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment at no cost to employees, and shall ensure that employees use such clothing and equipment. Open (h)(1) 14 citations
(2) Removal and storage. 9 citations
(i) The employer shall ensure that employees remove all protective clothing and equipment contaminated with chromium (VI) at the end of the work shift or at the completion of their tasks involving chromium (VI) exposure, whichever comes first. 5 citations
(ii) The employer shall ensure that no employee removes chromium (VI)-contaminated protective clothing or equipment from the workplace, except for those employees whose job it is to launder, clean, maintain, or dispose of such clothing or equipment. 1 citations
(iii) When contaminated protective clothing or equipment is removed for laundering, cleaning, maintenance, or disposal, the employer shall ensure that it is stored and transported in sealed, impermeable bags or other closed, impermeable containers. 1 citations
(iv) The employer shall ensure that bags or containers of contaminated protective clothing or equipment that are removed from change rooms for laundering, cleaning, maintenance, or disposal are labeled in accordance with the requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard, § 1910.1200. 2 citations
(3) Cleaning and replacement. 7 citations
(i) The employer shall clean, launder, repair and replace all protective clothing and equipment required by this section as needed to maintain its effectiveness. 4 citations
(ii) The employer shall prohibit the removal of chromium (VI) from protective clothing and equipment by blowing, shaking, or any other means that disperses chromium (VI) into the air or onto an employee's body. 1 citations
(iii) The employer shall inform any person who launders or cleans protective clothing or equipment contaminated with chromium (VI) of the potentially harmful effects of exposure to chromium (VI) and that the clothing and equipment should be laundered or cleaned in a manner that minimizes skin or eye contact with chromium (VI) and effectively prevents the release of airborne chromium (VI) in excess of the PEL. 2 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.1026.
Where and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 14 |
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2026 | 9 |
Top states: MI (6), ID (5), GA (3), TN (3), IL (3)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| GREAT DANE, LLC | ELYSBURG, PA | $90,000 |
| UNITECH COMPOSITES, INC. | HAYDEN, ID | $6,511 |
| PRECISION PROTECTIVE COATINGS | SAVANNAH, GA | $5,646 |
| EN-CHRO PLATING, LLC | MELROSE PARK, IL | $4,000 |
| 67845 - LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION | LEXINGTON, KY | $3,250 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.1026(h), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
- Clarification of the Chromium (VI) Standard - Change Rooms and Hygiene Practices. (2011-09-02)
- Applicability of the hexavalent chromium standard to welders. (2011-02-23)
- Assessing hazardous skin or eye exposure to hexavalent chromium for providing appropriate personal protective equipment. (2007-02-22)
- Wearing short-sleeved shirts while performing a thermal spray operation with exposure to hexavalent chromium fumes. (2007-01-25)
- Clarification of the Hexavalent Chromium Final Rule (2006-10-31)
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.1026(h)(1) Provision and use 14 citations
Get your crew competent
Trainers on Black Belt Safety: Marc Harvey, Dana Reyes
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Frequently asked questions
Who pays for chromium (VI) protective clothing?
The employer must provide it at no cost to employees.
When must contaminated clothing be removed?
At the end of the work shift or when the chromium (VI) task is done, whichever comes first.
Can contaminated clothing be shaken out?
No. The employer must prohibit removing chromium (VI) from clothing by blowing, shaking or any other method that spreads it into the air or onto a person.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.1026 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-20
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.