Lead, subacute toxic effect
Disease/Syndrome
Lead, subacute toxic effect
Category
Metal Poisoning, Occupational
Comments
Removing old paint is the activity most commonly associated with lead exposure in post-industrial countries. The OSHA Lead Standard requires medical surveillance of all workers exposed to lead dust or fume >30 ug/m3 for over 30 days per year. Workers with blood lead levels >40ug/dl must have medical exams. The earliest symptoms of lead poisoning are usually mood change, difficulty concentrating, and sleep disturbance. Lead is one of the few occupational poisons that enter the body to a significant extent by the oral route. [LaDou, p. 471-4] "An over 3-fold increase in blood lead over two years of occupational exposure was not associated with a relevant decline in cognitive performance." [
PMID 33274751]
Diagnostic
Blood lead; X-ray fluorescence is a non-invasive technique available in research settings; it measures cumulative lead dose in bone; [Olson, p. 257]
Symptoms/Findings
Symptoms/Findings associated with this disease:
Job Tasks
High risk job tasks associated with this disease:
Agents
Hazardous agents that cause the occupational disease: