Froines J R, Baron S, Wegman D H, O'Rourke S
Department of Environmental Health Sciences, UCLA School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles 90024.
Am J Ind Med. 1990;18(1):1-17. doi: 10.1002/ajim.4700180102.
Occupational exposure to lead represents a continuing problem of significant magnitude in the United States. To characterize the problem for surveillance purposes, an analysis of the airborne concentrations of lead identified in OSHA compliance inspections was conducted for the years 1979 to 1985. The five specific objectives of the study were: 1) to examine the distribution of air lead concentration in industrial environments; 2) to determine the secular trends in air lead concentrations for high lead industries; 3) to assess which job titles had excessive airborne lead concentrations; 4) to evaluate whether there was a relationship between lead overexposure and company size, unionization, or type of inspection; and 5) to investigate the prevalence of respirator violations for lead. Fifty-two industries were identified which had more than 1/3 of their inspection medians greater than the permissible exposure limit. These included primary and secondary lead smelting, battery manufacture, pigment manufacture, brass/bronze foundries, as well as 46 other industries. There has been little if any improvement in the prevalence and severity of airborne lead concentrations for the high lead industries, battery manufacture, secondary smelting, pigment manufacture, and brass/bronze foundries. Specific high exposure job titles are identified for certain high lead industries. The job title of painting stands out as an especially problematical job title across a number of industries. The prevalence of respirator violations is approximately 20% of all lead inspections.
在美国，职业性铅暴露仍然是一个严重的持续性问题。为了在监测中描述这一问题，对1979年至1985年职业安全与健康管理局（OSHA）合规检查中确定的空气中铅浓度进行了分析。该研究的五个具体目标是：1）研究工业环境中空气铅浓度的分布；2）确定高铅行业空气铅浓度的长期趋势；3）评估哪些工作岗位的空气中铅浓度过高；4）评估铅过度暴露与公司规模、工会化程度或检查类型之间是否存在关系；5）调查铅防护呼吸器违规的发生率。确定了52个行业，其检查中位数的三分之一以上超过了允许暴露限值。这些行业包括一次和二次铅冶炼、电池制造、颜料制造、黄铜/青铜铸造厂，以及其他46个行业。对于高铅行业、电池制造、二次冶炼、颜料制造和黄铜/青铜铸造厂，空气中铅浓度的发生率和严重程度几乎没有改善（如果有改善的话）。确定了某些高铅行业中特定的高暴露工作岗位。喷漆这一工作岗位在许多行业中尤为突出，是一个特别成问题的岗位。防护呼吸器违规的发生率约占所有铅检查的20%。
