Skin and Surface Lead Contamination, Hygiene Programs, and Work Practices of Bridge Surface Preparation and Painting Contractors

Abstract

A 2005 regulatory review of the lead in construction standard by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) noted that alternative pathways of exposure can be as significant as inhalation exposure and that noncompliance with the standard pertaining to hygiene facilities and practices was the second most commonly violated section of the standard. Noncompliance with provisions of the standard and unhealthy work and hygiene practices likely increase the likelihood of take-home lead via contaminated clothing, automobiles, and skin, thus contributing to elevated blood lead levels (BLL) among construction workers and their family members. We performed a cross-sectional study of bridge painters working for small contractors in Massachusetts to investigate causes of persistent elevated BLLs and to assess lead exposures. Thirteen work sites were evaluated for a 2-week period during which surface and skin wipe samples were collected and qualitative information was obtained on personal hygiene practices, decontamination and hand wash facilities, and respiratory protection programs. Results showed lead contamination on workers' skin, respirators, personal automobiles, and the decontamination unit, indicating a significant potential for take-home lead exposure. Overall, the geometric mean (GM) skin lead levels ranged from 373 μg on workers' faces at end of shift to 814 μg on hands at break time. The overall GM lead level inside respirators was 143 μg before work and 286 μg after work. Lead contamination was also present inside workers' personal vehicles as well as on surfaces inside the clean side of the decontamination unit. Review of the respiratory protection programs, work site decontamination and hand wash facilities, and personal hygiene practices indicated that these factors had significant impact on skin and surface contamination levels and identified significant opportunities for improving work site facilities and personal practices. Elevated lead exposure and BLL can be minimized by strict adherence to the OSHA provisions for functioning decontamination and hygiene facilities and healthy personal hygiene practices.

Keywords:

• bridge painting
• construction industry
• lead exposure assessment
• personal hygiene
• skin exposures
• surface contamination
• work practices

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This study was funded by NIOSH jointly to the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and Boston University (5 R01 OH03177). The authors would like to thank and acknowledge Andrew Kalil, Marvin Lewiton, and Jim Hathaway for their contribution to field sampling; Pam Bennet, and Pam Kocher for conducting worker interviews; and Gregory Day for review of this manuscript. We would also like to thank the contractors and workers who participated in the study.

Notes

^A Based on worker responses to questions on the field sampling forms.

^B Number of workers who responded to the question out of a total of 82 workers who participated in the survey.

^C Number of person-days on which responses were obtained to the question out of a total of 171 worker-days of survey participation (multiple days per worker).

^A Based on work site observations recorded on field sampling forms.

^B Site sampling days (multiple visits per work site).

^A Site-days or person-days.

^A End of day wipe samples after shower and/or hand wash or cleanup.

^B Estimated surface area for the body segments include: hands 0.097 m,² face 0.068 m,² neck 0.039m,² and lower arms 0.116 m.²

^C GSD could not be calculated for sample size of 1 or 0.

^D Samples not collected.

^A GSD could not be calculated for sample size of 1 or 0.

^B Samples not collected.

^A Surface area of steering wheel was estimated to be 1200 cm² based on a sample of 10 vehicles.

^B GSD could not be calculated for sample size of 1 or 0.

^C Samples not collected.