A statewide case registry for surveillance of occupational heavy metals absorption

Journal Article · Thu Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · American Journal of Public Health; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.80.2.162· OSTI ID:6983188

Baser, M E; Marion, D ^[1]

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1. Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (USA)

The New York State Heavy Metals Registry is a legislatively mandated program through which clinical laboratories, physicians, and health facilities report state residents 18 years of age and older with elevated levels of lead, mercury, arsenic, or cadmium in blood or urine. From 1982-86, the current employer was determined for 95.9 percent of 3,309 cases. Occupational exposures in 328 companies accounted for 82.8 percent of cases. The majority of companies were reported for lead (247 companies, 75.3 percent of total) or mercury (47 companies, 14.3 percent of total). Of the 247 companies reported to the Registry for lead, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspected 18 of 98 companies (18.4 percent) in the manufacturing sector, but only one of 149 companies (0.6 percent) outside the manufacturing sector. We conclude that the Registry effectively detects companies with heavy metals exposures, and is an especially useful adjunct to OSHA inspections outside the manufacturing sector.

• OSTI ID: 6983188
• Journal Information: American Journal of Public Health; (USA), Journal Name: American Journal of Public Health; (USA) Vol. 80:2; ISSN 0090-0036; ISSN AJHEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
ARSENIC
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
CADMIUM
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION II
LEAD
MAMMALS
MAN
MERCURY
METABOLISM
METALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PERSONNEL
PRIMATES
SEMIMETALS
SURVEYS
US DOL
US ORGANIZATIONS
US OSHA
USA
VERTEBRATES