DoD Risk Management

Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation on Minimizing Use of Hexavalent Chromium in New Weapons Systems (May 2011) [105 KB]: This rule proposes to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to address requirements for minimizing the use of hexavalent chromium in items purchased by DoD. The rule prohibits the delivery of items containing hexavalent chromium under DoD contracts unless an exception applies or has been authorized by the Government. On April 8, 2009, the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) issued a memorandum establishing policy for the minimization of hexavalent chromium use throughout DoD. The rule allows for the codification of the policy outlined in the April 8, 2009, memorandum for the acquisition community to effectively implement the guidance in contract requirements. This rule adds a new DFARS subpart and a corresponding contract clause to address requirements for minimizing the use of hexavlent chromium in items purchased by DoD. The rule enables DoD to comply with the requirements established in Executive Orders 13514 and 13423 to reduce the use of toxic and hazardous substances. Further, the rule is timely and necessary to provide industry guidance and policy to adopt substitutes for hexavalent chromium. Non-hexavalent chromium processes should be less costly due to the use of less hazardous materials and related control and disposal cost.

DoD Risk Alert for Hexavalent Chrome [89 KB]: This factsheet highlights the emerging issues related to hexavalent chrome and actions that DoD employees and contractors can take to minimize risks

New Amphibious Tank Coated with Hex Chrome Substitute [113 KB]: 4-10 This Spring, 2010 article was published with the permission of CorrDefense, a publication focused on protecting military vehicles and equipment.

Replacement of Hexavalent Chromium on DOD Weapons Systems [1.76 MB]: Featured presentation by Bruce Sartwell, Weapons Systems and Platforms Program Manager, SERDP/ESTCP

BNA article [37 KB]: A series of field surveys conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that, for some workplace processes, exposures to hexavalent chromium below accepted limits may not be achievable without respirator use, according to an article in the August issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.

Regulatory Considerations for Chromium [201 KB]: A study on the regulatory consideration for chromium prepared by NASAs Principal Center for Regulatory Risk Analysis and Communication. The report concludes that because of its relatively heavy regulatory burden, hardware designs incorporating hexavalent chromium may face future materials obsolescence risks if vendors should become unwilling or unable to supply parts or other products containing or manufactured using hexavalent chromium.

Hex Chrome - 2006 workshop on substitutes [65 KB]: Hex Chrome Substitutes and Risk Mitigation

Lockheed Martin - Corporate Policy Hexavalent Chromium Dec 2007 [46 KB]: As the result of a recently released Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard on the reduction of exposure to hexavalent chromium (29 CFR 1910.1026) in the workplace, we are accelerating our pursuit of alternatives to hexavalent chromium for application to our various products and processes. We must be in compliance with the new standard and ensure any needed engineering controls are in place by 2010. Accordingly, in our continual efforts to ensure a healthy and safe workplace for our employees, we have identified the reduction and eventual elimination of hexavalent chromium in all of our products and processes as a priority for the Corporation.