Occupational lead exposure aboard a tall ship
To evaluate occupational exposures to lead in shipfitters cutting and riveting lead-painted iron plates aboard an iron-hulled sailing vessel, the authors conducted an environmental and medical survey. Lead exposures in seven personal (breathing zone) air samples ranged from 108 to 500 micrograms/mT (mean 257 micrograms/mT); all were above the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard of 50 micrograms/mT. In two short-term air samples obtained while exhaust ventilation was temporarily disconnected, mean lead exposure rose to 547 micrograms/mT. Blood lead levels in ten shipfitters ranged from 25 to 53 micrograms/dl. Blood lead levels in shipfitters were significantly higher than in other shipyard workers. Smoking shipfitters had significantly higher lead levels than nonsmokers. Lead levels in shipfitters who wore respirators were not lower than in those who wore no protective gear. Four shipfitters had erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) concentrations above the adult upper normal limit of 50 micrograms/dl. A close correlation was found between blood lead and EP levels. Prevalence of lead-related symptoms was no higher in shipfitters than in other workers. These data indicate that serious occupational exposure to lead can occur in a relatively small boatyard.
- OSTI ID:
- 6330431
- Journal Information:
- Am. J. Ind. Med.; (United States), Vol. 3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
LEAD COMPOUNDS
MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
BLOOD CHEMISTRY
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
OCCUPATIONS
PROTOPORPHYRINS
SHIPS
TOBACCO SMOKES
US OSHA
AEROSOLS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
HETEROCYCLIC ACIDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PIGMENTS
PORPHYRINS
RESIDUES
SAFETY STANDARDS
SMOKES
SOLS
STANDARDS
US DOL
US ORGANIZATIONS
560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)