LIFT AR 3534340 - Caterpillar

"Hiway yellow" paint color used on Caterpillar products (including components and parts) will be changed to a new "Caterpillar yellow". The new color is visually different than the former color. This change in color is due to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's new regulation limiting exposure of employees to airborne lead. In compliance with the new regulation, the new paint, "Caterpillar yellow", is free of both lead and chromate, consisting of a blend of ferrite yellow (iron oxide) and white (titanium dioxide). Characteristics of the new paint are essentially the same as the existing paint. Application techniques will not change.
All U.S.A. built construction equipment, engines and lift-trucks, including related products, attachments and replacement parts will be painted with the new paint effective as of July 30, 1979. The background color of the model designation number films will also be changed effective with the paint change. Plants outside the U.S.A. will use the new paint as near July 30, 1979 as possible.
The new regulation imposes severe and extensive restrictions on any operation in which airborne lead concentrations exceed certain threshold levels. Accordingly, to ensure the safety of paint shop employees the new regulation has established a number of new requirements. The following are some of the areas affected: 1. Monitoring of lead levels in work areas.2. The use of airline respirators for all paint workers.3. The time a painter can wear such respirators.4. The use of vacuum units or other controls on all sanding operations.5. Protective clothing.6. Housekeeping requirements.7. Medical surveillance of the painters.8. Training of personnel subject to lead exposure.9. Recordkeeping practices.
It should be emphasized that this list is not complete. U.S. dealers are advised to review the Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard in its entirety in addition to consulting their local state codes. Dealers in other countries should also review similar regulations which may apply to their operations.