Work-Related Lead Exposures and U.S. 190 Old Mississippi River Bridge Renovations – Louisiana – 2013–2014

Details

• Personal Author:
  Lackovic M ; Lewis J
• Description:
  Bridge Painters and the U.S. 190 Old Mississippi River Bridge: A paint restoration and structural renovation project on the U.S. 190 Old Mississippi River Bridge, which connects East and West Baton Rouge parishes, started in September 2012. Prior to 2012, the bridge was last re-painted in 1968. During the initial phase of the project, workers were sandblasting, pressure washing and repainting the bridge with a light gray coat. The newly applied paint is described as "an organic zinc, epoxy urethane paint system," which does not contain lead. However, due to the lead content in the old paint, workers must capture blasted off material and send it to treatment facilities. BLL tests greater than or equal to 25 ug/dL are routinely investigated by SEET to determine the source of exposure. Almost 6,000 blood lead tests are received annually for about 5,000 adult patients, with two percent of those adults having one or more BLL test greater than or equal to 25 ug/dL. Based on the lab reports that SEET receives, more than 80 percent of an average annual 106 Louisiana cases are work related. Elevated BLL tests are primarily from workers in the following three industries: smelting/refining of nonferrous metals, painting and wall covering, and oil and gas pipeline construction. Nationally, and in Louisiana, bridge painters, abatement workers and welders consistently rank among occupations for high-risk lead exposures. From January 2013 to January 2014, there were 76 Louisiana adult males with BLLs greater than or equal to 25 ug/dL. Twenty-two (29 percent) were bridge painters and lead abatement workers participating in the U.S. 190 Old Mississippi River Bridge restoration project. Of those U.S.190 bridge workers, 10 (46 percent) had two or more BLL tests greater than or equal to 25 ug/dL. Elevated BLL results for all adults ranged from 25 to 62 ug/dL; nine workers (two of whom were U.S.190 bridge painters) met or exceeded OSHA's medical surveillance retesting requirement of greater than or equal to 40 ug/dL. As renovations continue on the U.S. 190 Old Mississippi River bridge, workers are encouraged to continue to wear the proper protective equipment for the job tasks. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Epidemiology Lead Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Paint Safety
• Keywords:
  Blood Lead Levels Lead-based Paint Medical Screening Occupational Exposure Painters Surveillance
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Newsletter
• Place as Subject:
  Louisiana ; OSHA Region 6
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  2-3
• Volume:
  25
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20061552
• Citation:
  LA Morb Rep 2014 Mar-Apr; 25(2):2-3
• Email:
  jocelyn.lewis@la.gov
• CAS Registry Number:
  Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2014
• Performing Organization:
  Louisiana State Office of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Louisiana Morbidity Report
• End Date:
  20150630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:dc1cd19a9cfc4977a4495000ed920bde1e6d5524f6a42f46c5d7514c43b734640729b1e2449b53e90864cbbe874e3d0249b5601b5f8ff9faf5e6126a347e2202
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/225056/cdc_225056_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 155.35 KB ]