California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board Approves the Nation’s Strongest Occupational Lead Standards
The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) adopted the nation’s most health-protective occupational lead standards for construction and general industry on February 15, 2024. The previous standards were based on lead toxicity data that were more than 50 years old. More recent scientific research shows that even a very low blood lead level (BLL) can have harmful health effects. The new standards will be enacted on January 1, 2025.
Workers get lead in their blood from breathing in lead dust in the air or accidentally eating lead dust left on their hands. Elevated BLLs are associated with increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, poor kidney function, depression, memory issues, and harm to the fetus in pregnant women. Workers who bring home lead dust on their clothes and shoes may expose family members to lead, including children, who can have severe neurological damage from an elevated BLL.
Examples of industries in California where workers are exposed to lead include storage battery manufacturing, painting and wall covering contractors, shooting ranges, construction, and law enforcement.
Worker Protections and Airborne Lead Levels
The new standards represent significant changes to worker protections. Highlights include:
- Decreasing the airborne 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) Permissible Exposure Limit from 50 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) to 10 µg/m3. The Permissible Exposure Limit is the maximum level at which an employee can be exposed to lead.
- Decreasing the airborne 8-hour TWA Action Level from 30 µg/m3 to 2 µg/m3. The Action Level prompts the requirements of certain worker protections per the standards.
- Increasing the frequency of BLL testing provided for workers when their BLL is at or above 10 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL).
- Adding requirements for direct communication between the physician or other licensed healthcare professional and workers on BLL test results and follow-up recommendations.
- Expanding training, hygiene, and housekeeping requirements.
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