LEAD-EXPOSURE IN A TANK DEMOLITION CREW - IMPLICATIONS FOR THE NEW OSHA CONSTRUCTION LEAD STANDARD

The Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has r ecently extended the basic health and safety provisions of the OSHA le ad standard for general industry to workers in the construction indust ry. In this report we describe a tank demolition worksite that midway through the project strengthened its lead exposure control activities to a level that approximated the current lead standard. Of 12 tested i ronworkers and laborers who worked at the site before the change, zinc protoporphyrin levels increased and seven developed blood lead levels (BLL) > 50 mug/dL. After the change these workers' BLLs declined. Six workers hired after the change did not experience increases in zinc p rotoporphyrin and none developed BLL > 25 mug/dL. The experience at th is worksite demonstrates the usefulness and feasibility of implementin g the current lead standard in construction settings. (C) 1994 Wiley-L iss, Inc.