According to a new report from the Oregon Health Authority, some
manufacturing and construction jobs still have an increased risk
for high blood-lead levels – especially jobs involving battery
manufacturing, painting, and wall covering. The report, Adult
Blood Lead Reporting in Oregon, 2006-2010, summarizes the
results of 33,400 adult blood-lead tests from Oregon’s Adult
Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance program (ABLES). Adult
exposure to lead typically occurs when dust and fumes are
inhaled or the dust ends up on hands, food, or cigarettes, for
example, then swallowed. Work-related exposures accounted for
the majority of elevated blood-lead levels reported, especially
at levels of 25 micrograms/deciliter or higher. According the
report, there were 548 work-related cases involving workers who
had elevated blood-lead levels. ABLES defines an elevated blood
level as “greater than or equal to 10 micrograms of lead per
deciliter of blood.” The majority of cases were in the storage
battery manufacturing cat