OSHA LEAD STANDARDS

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OSHALEAD STANDARDS

• OSHA Special Emphasis Program

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Characteristics of Lead

• Chemical element (symbol Pb)
• Heavy,soft (malleable) metal

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Where is lead found?

• Industrial releases
• Food
• Water
• Hobbies
• Other

• Paint
• Dust
• Air
• Soil
• Gasoline

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How You Can Be Exposed

• Lead dust particles, not even visible to the eye,
  can be breathed or swallowed.
• Touching surfaces covered with lead dust may
  result in eating the dust.
• Symptoms of lead poisoning are the same as other
  common illnesses.

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Jobs and Hobbies with Lead Exposure

• Jobs
• Construction trades (e.g., lead abatement
  workers, carpenters, plumbers, remodelers/renovato
  rs, painters, etc.)
• Industrial trades (e.g., lead miners, lead
  smelter workers, lead crystal makers, etc.)
• Other trades (e.g., firing range employees,
  police officers, artists, car mechanics,
  printers, etc.)

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GENERAL INDUSTRY LEADSTANDARD

• 29 CFR 1910.1025
• SCOPE AND APPLICATION
• Applies to all occupational exposure to lead
  except
• construction
• agriculture

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SELECTED DEFINITIONS

• LEAD
• Lead is a heavy, soft, flexible, blue-gray metal.
• The chemical symbol for lead is Pb.
• Metallic lead
• All inorganic lead compounds
• Organic lead soaps

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SELECTED DEFINITIONS

• ACTION LEVEL
  (AL)
• 30 ?g/m3
• PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE LIMIT (PEL)
• 50 ?g/m3

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EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT

• INITIAL DETERMINATION
• To determine whether employees are exposed at
  above the action level
• May rely on historical data
• May rely on objective data (Construction)

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EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT

• NEGATIVE INITIAL DETERMINATION
• No exposure at or above the action level
• Additional monitoring is not required unless
  there is a change in
• equipment, process, control, personnel or task
  resulting in levels at or above the action level
• Document

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EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT

• POSITIVE INITIAL DETERMINATION
• Exposure at or above the AL and below the PEL
• Conduct monitoring representative of each exposed
  employee
• May use historical data
• Additional monitoring - every 6 months
• Document

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EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT

• POSITIVE INITIAL DETERMINATION
• Exposure at or above the PEL
• Conduct monitoring representative of each exposed
  employee
• May use historical data
• Additional monitoring - quarterly
• Document

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METHODS OF COMPLIANCEGeneral Industry

• Exposures gt PEL for more than 30
  days per year
• Written Compliance Program
• Must reduce exposures to 200 ?g/m3
• Engineering Controls
• Work Practice Controls
• Supplement with but cant rely on respiratory
  protection

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RESPIRATORYPROTECTION

• REQUIRED
• while engineering and work practice controls are
  being installed or implemented
• during activities when engineering and work
  practice controls are not feasible
• where engineering and work practice controls are
  not feasible to reduce exposures below PEL

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RESPIRATORYPROTECTION

• Must be provided whenever an employee requests a
  respirator.
• Must provide a PAPR whenever an employee requests
  one and it is protective against the level of
  exposure.

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EXPOSURE gt PEL

• Respiratory protection
• Personal protective equipment
• Change rooms
• Showers (where feasible in construction)
• Eating facilities
• Hand washing facilities

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HOUSEKEEPING

• Maintain surfaces as free as practicable of lead
  accumulation.

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MEDICAL SURVEILLANCEGeneral Industry

• Exposure gt AL for more than 30 days per year
• Medical exam
• Biological monitoring
• At least every 6 months
• Monthly for removed employees

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MEDICAL REMOVAL General Industry

• Average of last three blood lead levels gt 50
  ?g/dL
• Average of blood lead levels over the past 6
  months gt 50 ?g/dL
• Return
• Benefits

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MEDICAL REMOVAL General Industry

• RETURN
• gt 80 ?g/dL
• gt 70 ?g/dL
• gt 60 ?g/dL
• Average gt 50 ?g/dL
• Final medical determination

lt 60 ?g/dL lt 50 ?g/dL lt 40 ?g/dL lt 40 ?g/dL
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EMPLOYEE TRAINING

• REQUIRED
• EXPOSURE gt AL for one day
• PRIOR TO ASSIGNMENT
• ANNUALLY

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RECORDKEEPINGGeneral Industry

• EXPOSURE DATA AND MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
• 40 years or duration of employment plus 20 years
• MEDICAL REMOVAL
• At least duration of employment