Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 87-371-1989, technical assistance to the Jamaican Ministry of Health, Kingston, Jamaica

Technical Report · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:7138709

Matte, T D; Burr, G A

An investigation was made of possible hazardous working conditions existing in numerous backyard battery repair shops (BBRS) located in Kingston. Nineteen of 22 children in Kingston hospitalized due to lead poisoning lived at or near a BBRS. The geometric mean of the air lead concentrations in the BBRSs sampled was 21 micrograms/cubic meter (microg/cu m). The highest workplace concentration was 66 microg/cu m which exceeded the OSHA permissible exposure limit of 50 microg/cu m. Soil lead levels were significantly higher at households located at BBRS premises, compared with comparison households. The geometric mean soil lead levels were very high, 58,884 parts per million, with a range of 16,000 to 400,000 ppm. Dust lead levels were higher at exposed households than at comparison households. In many cases the dust lead content was associated with the number of batteries repaired at the site. Blood lead levels were strongly associated with the soil and dust lead levels. The report concludes that BBRS create a high lead poisoning risk for workers and nearby residents. Specific measures for reducing lead exposures are provided.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7138709
• Report Number(s): PB-90-179300/XAB; HETA--87-371-1989
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
BUILDINGS
CONTAMINATION
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELEMENTS
GREATER ANTILLES
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
ISLANDS
JAMAICA
LEAD
LEAD-ACID BATTERIES
MEDICINE
METALS
MITIGATION
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
PERSONNEL
POLLUTION
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SAFETY
SOILS
TOXICITY
WASTES
WEST INDIES