Washington State Department of Ecology

Lead Exposure Information for Workers and their Families

WISHA Workers Lead Exposure Restrictions

Lead Poisoning and Workers' Families

See Lead Poisoning for more information about symptoms and effects.

See Blood Lead Level Testing for more information.

See Non-occupational Sources of Lead Poisoning for more information.

WISHA Workers Lead Exposure Restrictions:

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Exit Ecology enforces the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act Exit Ecology (WISHA) The Standard for Lead in Construction, WAC 296-155-176 Exit Ecology to protect workers. If any amount of lead is present at the job site, the employer must protect employees as if they were exposed to regulated amounts of lead unless the amount of lead is known and lesser protection can be used. There is a table that shows the minimum required protection level for different work activities (such as manual demolition or abrasive blasting enclosure removal), when the lead level is unknown.

It is important to understand that containment structures (tarps and plastic sheeting) may result in higher airborne concentrations of lead, although they reduce environmental contamination by capturing particles of paint and used blasting material.

The Standard for Lead in Construction, WAC 296-155-176 Exit Ecology is available though the Department of Labor and Industries which enforces WISHA.

Search the WAC Regulations Online under the Washington Department of Labor and Industries Publications homepage at http://www.wa.gov/lni/ Exit Ecology, or
Call (WISHA or L&I) at (360) 902-5500 to obtain a free copy, or to ask for a free, no penalties, consultation on the requirements of the lead standard.

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Lead Poisoning and Workers' Families:

An Occupational Safety and Health Administration Exit Ecology (OSHA) study found that children of lead-exposed construction workers were six times more likely to have blood lead levels over the recommended limit than children whose parents did not work in lead-related industries. The August 28, 1997 NIOSH publication, Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children of Construction Workers, is available by calling NIOSH (the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) at: 1-800-35-NIOSH or (1-800-356-4674).

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Exit Ecology (NIOSH) is the Federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related disease and injury. The Institute is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Exit Ecology (CDC).

"Lead poisoning, neurological effects, and mental retardation - These health effects have occurred in children of workers engaged in mining, smelting, construction, manufacturing (pottery, ceramics, stained glass, ceramic tiles, electrical components, bullets, and lead batteries), repair and reclamation of lead batteries, repair of radiators, recovery of gold and silver, work on firing ranges."

From the U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, National Institute For Occupational Safety And Health, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, September 1995, Report to Congress on Workers Home Contamination Study Conducted Under The Worker s Family Protection Act (29 U.S.C. 671a) http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/95-123.html Exit Ecology.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted a study of contamination of workers' homes by hazardous substances transported from the workplace:

Protect Your Family--Reduce Contamination at Home Exit Ecology, A Summary of a Study Conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-125, is available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/thttext.html Exit Ecology

Hazardous Substances Can Contaminate Workers' Homes and Families:

Contamination on work clothing transferred to washing machines and dryers. Dangerous levels of hazardous materials can poisoning the person handling them and contaminate other laundry.
contamination on tools and equipment transferred to homes and vehicles
scrap lumber taken home from work
workers may pass dangerous materials to their family members through contact with their hands and body
cottage industries where work was done on home property
family members can be exposed to dangerous materials in dust or air through visits to the workplace

Prevention is best. Home decontamination is difficult and may not be effective. Results depend on the cleaning methods used, the material to be removed, and the surface to be cleaned. Soft materials such as carpet and clothing are the hardest to clean. Lead, asbestos, pesticides, and beryllium are especially difficult to remove.

Normal housecleaning and laundry usually do not succeed. Sometimes, even the strongest decontamination methods fail. Decontamination may even increase the hazard to people in the home by stirring materials into the air.

When an employer does not provide clean work clothing (for example, at a work site with exposures below the PEL), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recommends that contaminated work clothing be handled, stored, and washed separately from all other clothing.

Protect Your Family--Reduce Contamination at Home Exit Ecology, updated 02-25-1999, from http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/thttext.html

Worker's Home Contamination Exit Ecology, updated 05-03-1998, from http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pdfs/wkhmcn.pdf

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