Side of Cadmium with Your Costco Burrito

Every quarter, I conducted routine cadmium air sampling on the etch line. It was company standard operating procedure to ensure that the local ventilation was working and to give the employees peace of mind. But on this particular day, I discovered something interesting.

I walked past our small, authorized cadmium grinding room. It’s a highly restricted, air-conditioned room designed for one purpose: to properly capture cadmium dust (a highly toxic heavy metal).

I glanced inside and immediately said "WTF". Sitting right there in the middle of a heavy metal hazard zone were two microwaves.

I walked into the room and casually asked questions. Are you still grinding cadmium in here? How often? Are you following the SOP? What are your plans for the weekend?

Once their guards were down, I dropped the real question: "Why in the hell do you have microwaves in here?"

Their answer: The room was air-conditioned, secluded, and—most importantly—hidden from their supervisor. It was their secret sanctuary to enjoy lunch and engage in what they literally called "man-gossip."

I only responded by collecting cadmium wipe samples from various surfaces: workstations, desk surfaces, chairs, door handles and the keypads on those microwaves. I knew that if I wanted to demolish this makeshift breakroom, I needed undeniable, scientific proof.

I marched straight to the site safety representative and informed that the microwaves need to be ripped out immediately. After much discussion with the 'surprised' supervisor, the microwaves were 'slowly' moved out of the room.

Seven to ten business days later, the lab results confirmed my suspicions: Cadmium residue was EVERYWHERE. These guys weren't just heating up their Costco burritos and breakfast sandwiches; they were literally seasoning their food with toxic heavy metals. They were eating cadmium while they gossiped.

To add a little salt to their self-inflicted wounds and to conduct my due diligence, I escalated the response. I made all those employees report immediately to Health Services for an emergency blood draw for medical surveillance.

The Lesson: Convenience is the Ultimate Contaminant

Never underestimate the power of laziness, the need for air conditioning and complacency.