[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 194 (Tuesday, October 7, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52343-52344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26516]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health;
Occupational Exposure to Inorganic Lead: Request for Comments and
Information
AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH),
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health
and Human Services (DHHS).
ACTION: Request for Comments and Information Relevant to Occupational
Exposure to Inorganic Lead.
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SUMMARY: NIOSH is reviewing its recommendations contained in the
document Criteria for a Recommended Standard....Occupational Exposure
to Inorganic Lead, Revised Criteria--1978 [NIOSH 1978]. The evaluation
of recent literature indicates that the NIOSH recommended exposure
limit (REL) of 100 g/m3 as an 8-hour time-weighted average
(TWA) in that document does not sufficiently protect workers from the
adverse effects of exposure to inorganic lead. NIOSH is requesting
comments and information relevant to the evaluation of the potential
health risks associated with occupational exposure to inorganic lead,
as well as case reports or other data that demonstrate adverse health
effects in workers exposed to inorganic lead at or below the OSHA
permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 g/m3 as an 8-hour TWA
and any information pertinent to evaluating the technical feasibility
of establishing a more protective REL for inorganic lead. NIOSH is also
soliciting information on worker blood lead levels (BLLs) including
data on methodologies used in measuring BLLs in the workplace and
information that can be used for comparing airborne inorganic lead
concentrations to observed BLLs.
NIOSH intends to analyze the feasibility of developing preventive
measures including an REL that would provide better protection for
workers. In the interim, NIOSH plans to adopt the more protective
current OSHA PEL as its REL.
DATES: Written comments to this notice should be submitted to Diane
Manning, NIOSH Docket Office, 4676 Columbia Parkway, M/S C-34,
Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, on or before December 8, 1997. Comments may
also be faxed to Diane Manning at (513) 533-8285 or submitted by email
to dmm2@cdc.gov as WordPerfect 6.0/6.1 files.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Technical information may be obtained
from Dr. Henryka Nagy, NIOSH, CDC, 4676 Columbia Parkway, M/S C-32,
Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, telephone (513) 533-8369.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NIOSH has conducted a literature review of
the health effects data on inorganic lead exposure and finds evidence
that some adverse effects on the adult reproductive, cardiovascular,
and hematologic systems, and on the development of children of exposed
workers can occur at BLLs as low as 10 g/dl with no apparent threshold.
At BLLs below 40 g/dl, many of the health effects associated with lead
exposure would not necessarily be evident by routine physical
examinations, but represent early stages in a continuum of disease
development. The risk of developing adverse health effects appears to
increase as BLLs rise above 40 g/dl.
In the NIOSH 1978 criteria document entitled Occupational Exposure
to Inorganic Lead [NIOSH 1978], NIOSH recommended that exposure to
inorganic lead be limited to 100 g/m3 as an 8-hour TWA. This
exposure limit was expected to maintain BLLs below 60 g/dl and to
prevent clinical health effects to the hematologic system, the central
and peripheral nervous systems, the reproductive system, and the
kidneys. NIOSH also expressed concern about possible health effects
that may occur below 60 g/dl:``In adhering to the 60 g/dl figure, NIOSH
has not relinquished its concerns for possible effects that may occur
below 60 g/dl. Adherence to this 60 g/dl figure should not be
interpreted as a firm NIOSH opposition to establishing a lower blood
lead standard. In fact, NIOSH endorses a lower blood lead standard as a
future goal to provide greater assurance of safety.
In 1978, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
promulgated an occupational inorganic lead standard for general
industry that incorporates a PEL of 50 g/m3 which is
intended to maintain worker BLLs below 40 g/dl. OSHA also included
provisions for reducing the PEL for work shifts that exceed 8 hours,
medical monitoring of workers exposed to airborne inorganic lead
concentrations at or above the action level of 30 g/m3, and
medical removal of workers with BLLs greater than 50 g/dl. Workers are
permitted to return to jobs involving inorganic lead exposure only
after their BLLs have declined to 40 g/dl.
OSHA concluded in 1978 that a PEL of 50 g/m3 represented
the lowest level for which there was evidence of feasibility in most
industries. OSHA also acknowledged that, based on the scientific data,
the PEL of 50 g/m3 did not provide protection from all
adverse health effects of inorganic lead toxicity because the
hematologic system, the nervous system, the kidneys, and the fetus can
be adversely affected by exposures to inorganic lead resulting in BLLs
below 40 g/dl (43 FR 52952, November 14, 1978). In May 1993, OSHA
published the Interim Final Lead in Construction Standard (58 FR 26590,
May 4, 1993). This standard extended the general industry standard for
inorganic lead to include workers in the construction industry. No
additional analysis of the health data was performed by OSHA in
adopting this standard for the construction industry.
[[Page 52344]]
NIOSH seeks to obtain materials, including reports and research
findings, to evaluate the health risks of occupational exposure to
inorganic lead. Examples of requested information include, but are not
be limited to, the following:
1. Occupational (environmental) exposure data.
2. Data on the effectiveness of engineering controls, work
practices, training, personal protective equipment and other activities
used to limit workers' exposure.
3. Identification of industries or occupations where intermittent
or low concentrations of inorganic lead may occur.
4. Descriptions of work practices and engineering controls used to
reduce workplace exposure.
5. Case reports or other health data that demonstrate adverse
health effects in workers exposed to inorganic lead at or below the
OSHA PEL and any information pertinent to evaluating the feasibility of
establishing a more protective exposure limit. Case reports and health
data should be submitted without personal identifiers.
6. Information regarding methods for BLL determination that could
be used routinely in the workplace (e.g., determination of BLLs using
portable equipment). NIOSH is evaluating whether the routine biological
monitoring of inorganic lead exposed workers (through BLLs) may be a
more appropriate measure than airborne concentrations for estimating
the potential for developing adverse health effects.
This information will be used by NIOSH to determine the need for
developing new recommendations for lowering the occupational exposure
to inorganic lead and improving strategies for monitoring inorganic
lead exposure.
All information received in response to this notice will be
available for public examination and copying at the NIOSH Docket
Office, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226.
References
43 FR 52952, November 14, 1978. Chapter XVII--Occupational
Safety and Health Administration, Department of Labor; Part 1910--
Occupational safety and health standards: occupational exposure to
lead.
58 FR 26590, May 4, 1993. Occupational Safety and Health
Administration: lead exposure in construction; interim final rule.
(To be codified at 29 CFR 1926.)
NIOSH [1978]. Criteria for a recommended standard . . .
occupational exposure to inorganic lead, revised criteria.
Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare,
Public Health Service, Center for Disease Control, National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHEW (NIOSH)
Publication No. 78-158.
Dated: September 29, 1997.
Linda Rosenstock, MD., MPH.,
Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 97-26516 Filed 10-6-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-19-P
