BACKGROUND: The lead standards for general industry and construction are based on lead toxicity information that is over 35 years old. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lead standards do not require temporary medical removal from lead exposure until blood lead levels (BLL) reach 50-60 µg/dL. However, recent research findings indicate that BLLs at far lower levels in adults can result in adverse health effects including hypertension, cognitive dysfunction decreased renal function, and adverse female reproductive outcomes. Currently, NIOSH/CDC in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), have a reference blood lead level of 5 µg/dL for adults.
METHODS: OSHA and the states are exploring regulatory options to reduce lead exposures in workers. This session will describe ongoing efforts carried out by Federal OSHA, the California Department of Public Health’s Occupational Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CDPH-OLPPP), and Public Health - Seattle & King County in Washington state to advance regulatory proposals.
RESULTS: Progress is being made at the federal and state level. CDPH-OLPPP made specific recommendations to revise the general industry and construction lead standards in 2010-2011 and provides technical support to Cal/OSHA as draft revised regulations move forward. The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), has conducted a series of stakeholder meetings to develop recommendations to update the state’s current occupational lead standards and has started the rulemaking process. Federal OSHA is planning to issue an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would seek input from the public to help the Agency identify possible areas of the lead standards for revision to improve workers’ protection.
CONCLUSIONS: Although lead standards have been protecting workers from lead exposures, and there has been a reduction in environmental and occupational sources of lead exposure over the past several decades, occupational exposures continue to occur at unacceptable levels. Recent research continues to find harmful effects in adults at BLLs below 5 μg/dL, so there is need to develop lead standards based on current medical and scientific information.