Lead toxicity among bridge workers, 1994.
Authors
Maurer-KF; Cullen-MR; Garcia-ME; Erdil-M; Hammond-SK
Source
MMWR 1995 Dec; 44(49):913, 919-920
Abstract
The results of blood lead (7439921) level studies performed by a physician during medical monitoring of bridge workers from March through December of 1994 were summarized and compared with data from the Connecticut Road Industry Surveillance Project (CRISP); this comparison indicated that the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels in bridge workers remained substantial. The database for this time frame contained records from 373 bridge workers for whom information about specific occupations was available; 146 (65%) were employed as painters/sandblasters. Most (369) were men. Of the 269 for whom age data was available, the mean age was 35.7 years, ranging from 17 to 64 years. During this time period, 168 of the workers had one blood lead level recorded, 84 had two, 65 had three, and 56 had four or more. The mean of the most recent test results for the 373 workers was 27.2 micrograms/deciliter (microg/dl). More than half of the workers had a blood lead level over 25microg/dl, 35 (9%) had a blood lead level of 50microg/dl or over. The physician reported these levels to the respective employers and recommended medical removal of these workers. An editorial note discussed the impact of the CRISP program on blood lead levels. A strategy like CRISP may be effective in lowering blood lead levels.
Keywords
Lead-poisoning; Blood-analysis; Construction-industry; Construction-workers; Biological-monitoring; Occupational-exposure; Heavy-metals; Humans; Occupational-medicine
Document Type
Journal Article
Source Name
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
