Lessening the Lead Load of Battery Plant Workers C: A New NIOSH Project

BACKGROUND: Lead exposure can cause acute and chronic adverse effects in multiple organ systems. In 2010, 40 state ABLES programs reported 31,459 adults with BLLs ≥10 μg/dL, of which 8,792 had BLLs ≥25 μg/dL.  Iowa (IA), Missouri (MO), and Ohio (OH) reported 19% (1,707) of all cases with BLLs ≥25 μg/dL.  Among these 1,707 cases in IA, MO, and OH, 1423 (83%) were due to occupational exposures; and 613 (43%) of these occupational cases occurred in the battery manufacturing (NAICS=33591) subsector. This NIOSH project aims at strengthening capacity of the ABLES program in these three states through implementation of lead exposure prevention activities among workers in the battery manufacturing industry. This presentation will describe the progress of the project and discuss implications for lead exposure prevention in the battery manufacturing industry.

METHODS: See background

RESULTS: See background

CONCLUSIONS: See backround