Research on long-term exposure
Children of California’s Lead-Exposed Construction Workers (Lead Exposure)
1997
Study Background
NIOSH studied lead exposure among children of lead-exposed construction workers.
Why NIOSH did the study
Small increases in blood lead levels in children can increase their risk of having behavior problems or being a slow learner.
Lead-exposed construction workers may bring lead home from work on their clothing and hands. If they bring lead home on their clothing and hands, then their homes and cars may have increased lead levels. As a result, the young children of lead-exposed workers may have higher blood lead levels than children of non-exposed control workers.
The purpose of the study was to determine if the children of lead exposed workers had higher blood lead levels compared to control workers’ children. We also wanted to know if the homes and cars of lead-exposed workers had higher lead levels than control workers.
How NIOSH and NJDOH did the study
NIOSH and the New Jersey Department of Health contacted all construction workers in New Jersey who had had a report of a blood lead level above 25 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) in 1994.
The workers had to meet the following requirements.
- They had to have worked in construction for at least a month in the prior year.
- They had to be living at home while working in construction.
- They had to have at least one child between 9 months and 6 years old.
We asked these workers to provide the names of 1 or 2 neighbors who might serve as non-exposed controls for our study. The controls were not exposed to lead at work and had at least one child between 9 months and 6 years of age.
We asked the care giver of each household about sources of lead in the home and the ages of the children. We also asked the worker about his work habits.
We collected blood from the workers and children who were between 9 months and 6 years of age. We report the amount of lead in micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) blood. A deciliter is a little less than half a cup.
We took dust and surface wipe samples for lead tests in the family room, child’s bedroom and the entrance to the house. We also collected dust and wipes samples from the area of the home where the worker changed his clothing and in the laundry area.
We took dust samples from the seat and floor of the car with a special vacuum cleaner. We collected wipe samples for lead levels from the driver and passenger side arm rests and the steering wheel.
We reported lead levels in dust in parts of lead per million parts (ppm) of dust. We reported the amount of lead in the wipe samples in micrograms of lead per square meter (µg/m2) of surface wiped.
Study Results
We compared the percentage of children of lead-exposed workers who had blood lead levels above 10 µg/dL with the percentage in control households.
We chose 10 µg/dL because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children’s blood lead levels be kept below this level.
Children of lead-exposed workers were 6 times more likely to have elevated blood lead levels (above 10 µg/dL) than were the children of control workers. Eight of 31 children of lead-exposed workers had elevated blood lead levels. However, only one of 19 children of control workers had an elevated blood lead level. The average lead levels on the hands of exposed workers was 7 times higher than on the hands of control workers.
The lead levels were higher in the cars of exposed workers than in the cars of control workers (see Table 1).
The homes of exposed workers had higher lead levels than control workers’ homes (see Table 2).
Table 1. Surface Lead Levels in Automobiles
Surface Lead Levels in Automobiles| Area of the Car | Exposed Average | Controls Average |
| Driver’s Floor | 990 ppm | 250 ppm |
| Driver’s Seat | 2000 ppm | 450 ppm |
| Driver’s Armrest | 2000 µg/m2 | 190 µg/m2 |
| Passenger’s Floor | 900 ppm | 260 ppm |
| Passenger’s Seat | 1700 ppm | 220 ppm |
| Passenger’s Armrest | 1200 µg/m2 | 120 µg/m2 |
| Steering Wheel | 240 µg/m2 | 41 µg/m2 |
Table 2. Lead Levels in the Homes
Lead Levels in the Homes| Area of the Home | Exposed Average | Controls Average |
| Main Entry Exterior Room | 640 ppm | 330 ppm |
| Main Entry Exterior Floor | 350 ppm | 470 ppm |
| Changing Area Floor | 370 ppm | 120 ppm |
| Laundry Room Floor | 530 ppm | 290 ppm |
| Laundry Room Washing Machine | 72 µg/m2 | 38 µg/m2 |
| Family Room Floor | 250 ppm | 150 ppm |
| Family Room Window Sill | 360 µg/m2 | 460 µg/m2 |
| Family Room Sofa | 340 ppm | 172 ppm |
| Children’s Bedroom Floor | 220 ppm | 110 ppm |
| Children’s Bedroom Window Sill | 450 µg/m2 | 370 µg/m2 |
The blood lead levels of the children of exposed workers were strongly related to the lead levels on the driver’s seat of the car, the family room carpet and furniture, the changing area carpet, and the child’s bedroom carpet. This means that the higher the lead levels in these areas the more likely the child’s blood lead level was to be elevated. This was not true of children of control workers.
Conclusions
The study suggests that exposed workers brought lead home with them. Lead that was on their clothing and skin may have been transferred to their cars and homes.
If you are exposed to lead at work, you can protect your children by following the suggestions in the fact sheet, “Protecting Workers’ Families From Lead Exposure. ”
For more information please call the NIOSH toll-free number at 800-356-4674.
Answers and Advice about Lead Exposure
Can Working With Lead Harm Children?
Workers exposed to lead on the job may leave work with lead dust on their hands and clothing. This lead may get into their cars and homes.
The number of days that a worker is exposed to lead is important. Workers with regular exposure to lead may place their children at higher risk.
Small children may put their hands on floors and other surfaces that have lead on them and then put their hands in their mouths.
Children who swallow lead dust may have problems learning and paying attention. Lead can harm the brain, nerves and kidneys. Lead is especially dangerous for children under six years of age.
Most children with lead poisoning do not look or act sick. The only way to know if a child has lead poisoning is to do a blood test. Blood lead tests are available through a doctor or the local health department.
Children of lead-exposed workers should have blood lead tests done more frequently than other children. Children with blood lead levels below 10 microgram (µg)/deciliter (dL) should be retested every six months. Those with blood lead levels between 10 and 14 µg/dL should be retested every three months. Children with blood lead levels above 15 µg/dL need to be treated at a special lead treatment center or by a doctor experienced in treating children with elevated blood lead levels.
If a child of a lead-exposed worker has a blood lead level above 10 µg/dL, workers should have their homes and if possible their cars tested for lead. Workers should make certain there are no other sources of lead in their homes, such as solder or paint chips, that may be affecting their children.
How can workers and employers protect workers families from lead poisoning?
Every construction workplace where a worker is exposed to lead is covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Construction Lead Standard.
Certain OSHA rules apply to workers exposed to more than 50 µg of lead per cubic meter (m3) of air over a work day. These rules state that the employer must:
- Provide clean protective work clothing at least once a week. If lead exposure is above 200 µg/m3, employers must provide clean clothing daily. The employer must have work clothing laundered.
- Provide clean change areas and require that workers change into clean clothes and shoes before they leave work. Any protective clothing or equipment that is required to be worn during the work shift may not leave the worksite.
- Provide separated lockers for storage of street clothes and shoes and work clothes. Lockers used for street clothes should never be used for work clothes.
- Provide lunchrooms or eating areas that are not contaminated with lead.
- Provide handwashing stations. Workers must wash their hands and face before eating, drinking, smoking or applying cosmetics. Workers must either change their work clothing or vacuum off their clothing before eating.
- Provide showers if possible. Where showers are provided, the worker must shower at the end of the work shift. If showers are not provided, employers must be sure that workers wash their face and hands before they leave the work site.
In addition to the rules specified in the OSHA lead standard, we recommend that lead-exposed workers who cannot shower before leaving work, shower and wash their hair as soon as they get home.
NIOSH conducted a study of a bridge repair site that included workers with lead exposures both below and above 50 µg /m3 of air. We found that even workers with low exposures to lead (below 50 µg/m3 of air) had high lead levels in their cars and homes. This suggests that workers with low lead exposures may reduce lead exposure to their families by following the rules from the OSHA standard where possible.
If you are exposed to lead and your employer does not launder your clothing, you should take the clothing home in a plastic bag and put the clothing directly into the washing machine. You should use detergents to remove lead. Other clothing should not be washed with the work clothing. After clothes are washed, the empty machine should be run through the wash cycle to remove any lead dust.
Cleaning Your Car and Home
It is better to prevent lead contamination than to remove it. In addition to the recommendations to change clothes and shower before leaving work, close the windows of your car at work to protect the inside from lead dust in the air.
It is very difficult to remove lead dust from upholstery and carpets. Limit your child’s contact with lead-contaminated upholstery, carpets and cars. If possible, replace lead contaminated stuffed furniture and carpets in the rooms where your children play.
Workers may follow these steps to remove the lead dust from homes and cars:
- A high efficiency particulate (HEPA) vacuum cleaner removes lead dust without blowing it into the air. Employers should buy or rent a HEPA vacuum cleaner so employees can remove lead dust from their homes and cars.
- Washable surfaces in the cars and homes of workers should be washed with detergents to remove lead dust.
Always remember that the most important way to protect children from lead poisoning is to not get lead dust in your car or home in the first place.
Other measures that can help protect children from lead poisoning are:
- Keep children from chewing on painted surfaces or eating paint chips.
- Children should eat regular meals and foods high in calcium and iron, like fortified cereals, greens, milk, yogurt and cheese.
Additional Resources
Piacitelli G, Whelan E (Nov., 1996). Keeping lead at work. Journal of Protective Coatings and Linings.
New Jersey Department of Health. Important information for contractors and workers about Lead Paint Hazards. G4497.
FAQs
If you are exposed to lead and your employer does not launder your clothing, you should take the clothing home in a plastic bag and put the clothing directly into the washing machine. You should use detergents to remove lead.
How do I know if I was exposed to lead as a child? ›
Symptoms
- Developmental delay.
- Learning difficulties.
- Irritability.
- Loss of appetite.
- Weight loss.
- Sluggishness and fatigue.
- Abdominal pain.
- Vomiting.
Exposure to lead can seriously harm a child's health, including damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, learning and behavior problems, and hearing and speech problems.
What are the 2 most common sources of lead poisoning in children? ›
Lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust are the most common sources of lead poisoning.
What detergent removes lead? ›
Cleaning up lead from hard surfaces
Use all-purpose cleaning detergent. Avoid using bleach.
Does soap remove lead from hands? ›
Use an effective lead removal product to clean your hands. Washing skin with standard soap and water is not enough to remove lead residues. NIOSH researchers have developed wipes that can remove 98% of lead residues from skin.
How long does it take for a child to get lead poisoning? ›
How long it takes a child to absorb toxic levels of lead depends on the concentration of lead in the dust. Rosen says that in a typical lead-contaminated housing unit, it takes one to six months for a small child's blood-lead levels to rise to a level of concern.
What does lead poisoning look like in children? ›
If children are around items with a high level of lead, they won't have lead poisoning symptoms right away. But when they do, symptoms include stomach pain, headaches, vomiting, confusion, muscle weakness, seizures, hair loss, and anemia (a low red blood cell count).
What is the best test to confirm lead poisoning in a child? ›
A blood lead test is the best way to find out if a child has lead poisoning.
How do you remove lead from a child's body? ›
Wash your child's hands often with soap and water. Make sure their hands are clean before meals, snacks, nap and bedtime. Trim your child's fingernails regularly. Wash your child's toys, pacifiers, and bottles often with soap and water.
Children with greater lead levels may also have problems with learning and reading, delayed growth, and hearing loss. At high levels, lead can cause permanent brain damage and even death.
What is the most common method of lead exposure in children? ›
Lead exposure is recognized as one of the most common environmental toxins for young children. The primary way in which most children are exposed to harmful levels of lead is through contact with deteriorating lead paint and lead contaminated dust.
Which child is at greatest risk of lead toxicity? ›
Children less than six years old are at a higher risk of lead exposure. This is because their bodies are rapidly developing and more susceptible to taking in lead if exposed. Young children also tend to put their hands or other objects into their mouths.
Which foods are high in lead? ›
Fruit juices: 89% of grape juice samples contained detectable levels of lead, mixed fruit (67%), apple (55%), and pear (45%) Root vegetables: Sweet potatoes (86%) and carrots (43%) Cookies: Arrowroot cookies (64%) and teething biscuits (47%)
Do air purifiers remove lead dust? ›
Using a HEPA air purifier is also a good idea, both during renovation and after, as it will capture lead particles and reduce your family's risk of lead poisoning by inhalation.
Do Lysol wipes remove lead? ›
To clean up Lead dust you must use disposable wipes with surfactant-containing detergent. Clorox Wipes or Lysol Wipes or any similar brand have been proven to work well for this.
Does white vinegar clean lead? ›
If you encounter leaded soap scum build up, it can be removed with an acid wash. Add 4 cups of white vinegar and run a wash cycle with the largest amount of warm water the machine settings will allow. Then run a rinse cycle.
Do all water filters remove lead? ›
But not all filters can do that. So, to start, make sure the filter you use says it is certified by the NSF, the WQA, or another certifying agency. Look for those that say they meet Standard 53, for lead. CR's water filter ratings of pitcher filters include two certified ones that we confirmed effectively remove lead.
Does hand sanitizer remove lead? ›
Hand sanitizers are good for germs but are useless for lead. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not remove lead from hands. While washing with soap and water is often a sufficient means of removing lead residue, there are more efficient cleaning products that can almost completely eliminate lead content from your skin.
What neutralizes lead in the body? ›
Feed your child healthy foods with calcium, iron, and vitamin C. These foods may help keep lead out of the body. Calcium is in milk, yogurt, cheese, and green leafy vegetables like spinach. Iron is in lean red meats, beans, peanut butter, and cereals.
Touching the lead and then putting their fingers in their mouths may also poison them. Lead is more harmful to children because their brains and nervous systems are still developing. Lead poisoning can be treated, but any damage caused cannot be reversed.
Can you reverse lead poisoning in children? ›
Is There a Treatment for Lead Poisoning? There is no way of reversing damage done by lead poisoning, which is why pediatricians emphasize prevention. But a diet high in calcium, iron and vitamin C can help the body absorb less lead.
Does lead poisoning last a lifetime? ›
Studies show that babies exposed to lead before birth may have learning and behavior problems that can last a lifetime. High levels of lead exposure during pregnancy may cause harm to the fetus, including birth defects, brain damage, hearing loss or even death.
Does lead stay in your body forever? ›
The time it takes for most of the lead to be excreted depends on how long you have been exposed for. If the lead is not excreted by the kidney or gut within a few weeks the remaining lead moves to your bones and teeth. Some lead can be stored for up to 30 years in bone.
Does lead poisoning show up in blood work? ›
Most children with any lead in their blood have no obvious immediate symptoms. If a child may have been exposed to lead, parents should talk to their child's health care provider about getting a blood lead test. Healthcare providers and most local health departments can test for lead in the blood.
Can lead poisoning reversed? ›
Is lead poisoning curable? The effects of lead poisoning aren't reversible. But you can reduce blood lead levels and prevent further exposure by finding and removing the sources of lead from your child's home or environment.
What are signs of lead poisoning in adults? ›
Lead exposure can cause high blood pressure and brain, kidney and reproductive health issues in adults. Symptoms of lead poisoning include headaches, stomach cramps, constipation, muscle/joint pain, trouble sleeping, fatigue, irritability, and loss of sex drive. Most adults with lead poisoning don't look or feel sick.
Does vitamin C remove lead? ›
Vitamin C has been consistently linked to lower blood lead levels and reduced organ damage. It may inhibit lead uptake at a cellular level, thereby reducing lead's toxicity to some organs.
How long does it take for body to absorb lead? ›
The half-life of lead in adult human blood has been estimated as 28 days. The body accumulates lead over a lifetime and normally releases it very slowly. Both past and current elevated exposures to lead increase patient risks for adverse health effects from lead.
How long does it take to get lead poisoning? ›
Lead poisoning usually takes months or years of exposure to a small amount of lead at home, work or daycare. When exposed to large amounts of lead, it can quickly lead to lead poisoning (acute poisoning). Lead poisoning usually happens due to prolonged exposure at home, work or daycare.
With the lower levels of lead found in the general population in the United States, much of the worry is about lead's health effects over the long haul. The most recent evidence from epidemiological and toxicological studies suggests that low levels of exposure can, over time, damage the heart, kidneys, and brain.
Is brain damage from lead poisoning permanent? ›
Low levels of lead can affect a child's brain and central nervous system. At high levels, lead can cause permanent damage to the brain and nervous system. This damage can lead to seizures, loss of muscle control, and coma.
Can lead poisoning cause mental illness? ›
Exposure to lead at a young age may lead to mental illness, according to a new study. The study, which followed 579 people in New Zealand for more than 30 years starting from age 3, found an association between exposure to lead and mental illness including phobia, depression, mania, and schizophrenia.
What are three physiological effects on children from lead exposure? ›
Exposure to lead can seriously harm a child's health and cause well-documented adverse effects such as: Damage to the brain and nervous system. Slowed growth and development. Learning and behavior problems.
What are 3 ways that children and adults can be exposed to lead? ›
Lead exposure can harm young children and babies—even before they are born. Even children who seem healthy can have high levels of lead in their bodies. Children can get lead in their bodies by breathing or swallowing lead dust, or by eating soil or paint chips with lead in them.
What is the most sensitive organ system for lead exposure in children? ›
The nervous system is the most sensitive organ system for lead exposure in children. The developing nervous system of a child can be affected adversely at BLLs of ≤5 μg/dL. Subclinical effects may be present, but may not be detectable during clinical examination.
What is one common cause of lead exposure in children? ›
Kids are exposed to lead from chipping paint; house dust; and contaminated soil around older homes, streets, airports, and industrial areas. Kids also can come into contact with lead through: water that flows through old lead pipes or lead solder. food stored in bowls glazed or painted with lead.
What part of the brain does lead poisoning affect? ›
Within the brain, lead-induced damage in the prefrontal cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum can lead to a variety of neurological disorders, such as brain damage, mental retardation, behavioral problems, nerve damage, and possibly Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and schizophrenia.
How does lead affect children's brain development? ›
In particular, lead can affect children's brain development, resulting in reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), behavioural changes such as reduced attention span and increased antisocial behaviour, and reduced educational attainment.
Does water wash away lead? ›
Wet washing is the best way to clean up lead dust. Wet wash window sills, wells, walls, floors and door frames often to clean up lead dust.
While washing with soap and water is often a sufficient means of removing lead residue, there are more efficient cleaning products that can almost completely eliminate lead content from your skin. Decontamination towels, for example, remove 98 percent of lead residue from skin.
How do you remove lead from a shirt? ›
Mix one tablespoon of liquid hand dishwashing detergent with two cups of warm water. 3. Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the detergent solution.
...
Fabric
- Use a soft eraser to remove the excess lead.
- Pretreat with a prewash stain remover.
- Launder.
Get cleaner, better-tasting water right from your tap.
This table lists all the contaminants our filters are certified to reduce including chlorine, lead and copper for great-tasting water.
Does bottled water have lead? ›
Since lead pipes aren't used in the production of bottled water, the FDA has set the limit for lead in bottled water at 5 ppb (parts per billion). The FDA bottled water quality regulations require bottled water companies to regularly sample and analyze their water.
What are the signs of lead in water? ›
How do I know if my tap water is contaminated with lead? The only way to know whether your tap water contains lead is to have it tested. You cannot see, taste, or smell lead in water. Therefore, you must ask your water provider whether your water has lead in it.
Do jeans have lead? ›
Dyes from denim leach out, with chemical compounds like mercury, cadmium and lead swimming around in otherwise safe waters.
How do you detox clothes? ›
9 Ways to Detox Your Laundry for Truly Clean Clothes
- Wash your washer. ...
- Beware of hard water. ...
- Wash, rinse, spin. ...
- Don't overstuff the washing machine. ...
- Find the right temperature (not too cold!) ...
- Ignore the dispenser. ...
- Skip fabric softeners. ...
- Same goes for dryer sheets.
Lab tests expose toxic chemicals found on new clothes. And how to fight back against overseas fraudsters. Scientists found that a jacket for toddlers, purchased from Chinese retailer Shein, contained almost 20 times the amount of lead that Health Canada says is safe for children.
Do alcohol wipes remove lead? ›
Alcohol wipes do not sufficiently remove lead dust, wash the child's hands before performing capillary BLL tests. A venous blood lead test is required to confirm capillary results greater than or equal to 5 micrograms lead per deciliter of blood (>5 mcg/dL).
What removes lead from the body? ›
Chelation therapy.
In this treatment, a medication given by mouth binds with the lead so that it's excreted in urine. Chelation therapy might be recommended for children with a blood level of 45 mcg/dL or greater and adults with high blood levels of lead or symptoms of lead poisoning.
Don't: Boil water to remove lead ▪ Boiling water will not lower the amount of lead. Use hot water for drinking, cooking or making baby formula and baby cereal. Hot water is more likely to contain higher levels of lead.
