Medical Management of Lead-Exposed Adults

Background and Purpose

Lead poisoning continues to be a significant problem in the U.S. and elsewhere. While lead poisoning does occur in adults outside the workplace, most adults are exposed to lead on the job. Despite a decrease in blood lead levels in the general population, thousands of men and women in the U.S. still work under conditions that can cause blood lead levels high enough to harm their health.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lead standards provide some guidance for health professionals who care for lead-exposed workers. Much has been learned about lead’s harmful health effects since OSHA passed the first lead standard in 1978. Medical care needs to be based on this new information. In response to this need, California’s Occupational Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (OLPPP) and other state occupational lead programs from around the country formed a committee to promote the development of medical management guidelines for health professionals who care for lead-exposed adults.  As a result of this effort, the Recommendations for the Medical Management of Adult lead Exposure (PDF)were published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives in March 2007.

The purpose of this effort is to provide health-based guidance for health care providers caring for lead-exposed adults. The ultimate goal is to prevent health damage caused by exposure to lead.

Activities

OHB:

• Participated in drafting “Medical Management Guidelines for Lead-Exposed Adults” in collaboration with other state adult lead poisoning prevention programs;
• Participated in an expert panel which reviewed the proposed guidelines from March 2003 to October 2005;
• Collaborated with medical experts to publish health-based recommendations for the care of lead-exposed adults (PDF);
• Will promote use of the recommendations through our ongoing lead poisoning prevention efforts.