Exposure to Lead
Lead is a heavy metal with an atomic weight of 207.20 and its atomic number is #82 on the periodic table of elements.
Lead is a heavy metal and listed on the Periodic Table of Elements.
Employers need to determine whether their workers will be exposed to lead on the construction worksite. This initial determination is done by sampling the air they breathe with special equipment. This is called air monitoring (also, exposure monitoring). It's important to know the following to help protect workers:
- Action level: The exposure level at which you must act to protect your employees. Thirty micrograms per cubic meter of air (30 µg/m3) averaged over an eight-hour period is the action level for lead exposure.
- Permissible exposure limit: The permissible exposure limit (PEL or OSHA PEL) is the legal limit for exposure to a chemical substance or physical agent. The employer must make sure that no employee is exposed to lead at concentrations greater than fifty micrograms per cubic meter of air (50 µg/m3) averaged over an 8-hour period.
- Trigger tasks for Lead: Tasks that expose workers to extreme amounts of lead and trigger a set of interim measures employers must take to protect those workers. If employees do any of these tasks, assume they're exposed to lead at levels above the PEL until you've done an initial determination.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
8-4. Who is responsible for determining whether workers will be exposed to lead on the construction worksite?
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