Lead exposure occurs when workers breathe in or swallow lead dust or fumes, which can build up in the body and damage health over time.
Lead exposure occurs when workers breathe in lead dust or fumes, or swallow lead particles from contaminated hands, food, drinks or cigarettes. Lead is a toxic metal that builds up in the body over time and can damage the nervous system, kidneys, blood and reproductive system, even when a worker feels well.
Workplace lead exposure is common in construction and industry. High-risk tasks include sanding, scraping, blasting or torch-cutting surfaces painted with lead-based paint, demolition of older structures, battery manufacturing and recycling, smelting, soldering, firing ranges and some radiator and plumbing work. Workers can also carry lead dust home on clothing, shoes and skin, exposing family members.
In the United States, OSHA regulates lead under 29 CFR 1910.1025 for general industry and 29 CFR 1926.62 for construction. Both standards set a permissible exposure limit of 50 micrograms of lead per cubic meter of air as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA), with an action level of 30 micrograms that triggers monitoring and medical surveillance.
Because lead builds up gradually, the main way to check a worker's exposure is a blood test. Under OSHA rules, employers must offer blood lead testing to workers exposed at or above the action level for more than 30 days a year. Workers must be removed from lead exposure when their blood lead level (BLL) reaches set limits. Many health agencies now recommend action at much lower levels than the current OSHA thresholds.
Employers should identify tasks that may disturb lead and conduct air monitoring to measure worker exposure. Paint and materials can be tested before work starts.
Workers must be trained on lead hazards, safe work practices, the medical surveillance program and the purpose of respirators. Training should be repeated at least yearly for workers covered by the standard.
A painting contractor was hired to repaint a steel bridge built in the 1960s. Before starting, the contractor tested the paint and confirmed it contained lead. Air monitoring during the first days of abrasive blasting showed exposures well above the permissible limit.
The contractor enclosed the work area, switched to vacuum blasting with HEPA filtration, provided supplied-air respirators and set up a decontamination trailer with showers. Workers received baseline blood lead tests and follow-up testing every two months. One worker's blood lead level rose, and the investigation found he had been eating lunch in his truck without washing. After he was retrained and the site added a clean break area, his levels dropped.
High-risk jobs include painting and blasting on older structures, demolition, renovation of pre-1978 buildings, battery manufacturing and recycling, smelting, soldering and work at indoor firing ranges.
OSHA's permissible exposure limit is 50 micrograms of lead per cubic meter of air, averaged over an 8-hour shift. The action level is 30 micrograms per cubic meter.
Yes. Lead dust on clothing, shoes, hair and skin can contaminate cars and homes. Changing clothes and washing before leaving work helps prevent this "take-home" exposure.
Air monitoring measures how much lead is in the work area, and blood lead tests show how much lead a worker has absorbed.
Part of SafetyIQ's EHS glossary: plain-English definitions of workplace health and safety terms.
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