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Occupational lead exposure aboard a tall ship
Author(s) -
Landrigan Philip J.,
Straub Wesley E.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.4700080308
Subject(s) - medicine , lead (geology) , lead poisoning , occupational exposure , blood lead level , occupational exposure limit , lead exposure , toxicology , respirator , occupational medicine , ventilation (architecture) , zoology , physiology , environmental health , cats , materials science , geomorphology , mechanical engineering , engineering , psychiatry , composite material , biology , geology
To evaluate occupational exposures to lead in shipfitters cutting and riveting lead‐painted iron plates aboard an iron‐hulled sailing vessel, we conducted an environmental and medical survey. Lead exposures in seven personal (breathing zone) air samples ranged from 108 to 500 μg/m 3 (mean 257 μg/m 3 ); all were above the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard of 50 μg/m 3 . In two short‐term air samples obtained while exhaust ventilation was temporarily disconnected, mean lead exposure rose to 547 μg/m 3 . Blood lead levels in ten shipfitters ranged from 25 to 53 μg/dl (mean, 37.8 μg/dl); levels in three of these workers exceeded the upper normal limit of 40 μg/dl. Blood lead levels in shipfitters were significantly higher than in other shipyard workers (mean 10.0 μg/dl; p < 0.001). Smoking shipfitters (mean, 47 μg/dl) had significantly higher lead levels than nonsmokers (mean, 32 μg/dl; p = 0.03). Lead levels in shipfitters who wore respirators were not lower than in those who wore no protective gear (p = 0.68). Four shipfitters had erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) concentrations above the adult upper normal limit of 50 μg/dl. A close correlation was found between blood lead and EP levels (r = 0.70). Prevalence of lead‐related symptoms was no higher in shipfitters than in other workers. No cases of symptomatic lead poisoning were noted. These data indicate that serious occupational exposure to lead can occur in a relatively small boatyard.