Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES)

• Elevated Blood Lead Levels Associated with Retained Bullet Fragments — United States 2003–2012 Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report: February 10, 2017/ 66 (5);130–133
• Elevated Blood Lead Levels Among Employed Adults — United States 1994–2013. 1994–2013 Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report: October 14, 2016/ 63(55);59–65
• Elevated Blood Lead Levels Among Employed Adults — United States, 1994–2012 Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report: October 23, 2015 / 62(54);52-75
• Indoor firing ranges and elevated blood lead levels – United States, 2002-2013 Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report: April 25, 2014 / 63(16);347-351
• Very High Blood Lead Levels Among Adults — United States, 2002–2011 Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report, November 29, 2013, Vol. 62, No. 47, pp. 967-971
• Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance – United States, 2008 – 2009 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: July 1, 2011 / 60(25);841-845
• Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance – United States, 2005 – 2007 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: April 17, 2009 / 58(14);365-369
• Tak S, Roscoe RJ, Alarcon W, et al. Characteristics of US workers whose blood lead levels trigger the medical removal protection provision, and conformity with biological monitoring requirements, 2003–2005 Am J Ind Med 2008;51:691–700
• Lead Exposure Among Females of Childbearing Age – United States, 2004 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: April 27, 2007 / 56(16);397-400
• Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance – United States, 2003 – 2004 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: August 18, 2006 / 55(32);876-879
• Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance – United States, 2002 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: July 9, 2004 / 53(26);578-582
• Lead Poisoning Associated with Ayurvedic Medications – Five States, 2000 – 2003 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: July 9, 2004, 53(26):582-584
• Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance – United States, 1998–2001 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: December 13, 2002 / 51(SS-11); 1-10
• Occupational and Take-Home Lead Poisoning Associated with Restoring Chemically Stripped Furniture — California, 1998 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: April 06, 2001: 50(13):246-248

Data into Action: NIOSH Blood Lead Surveillance Program Contributes to a Decline in National Prevalence Rates DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2012-164 (2012)
ABLES’ impact is achieved by its longstanding strategic partnerships with state ABLES programs, federal agencies, and worker affiliated organizations.

NIOSH Alert. Preventing Occupational Exposures to Lead and Noise at Indoor Firing Ranges DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2009–136

Worker Health Chartbook, 2004 DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004-146 (2004)
This document is a descriptive epidemiologic reference on occupational morbidity and mortality in the United States. It is a resource for agencies, organizations, employers, researchers, workers, and others who need to know about occupational injuries and illnesses.

Health Hazard Evaluations: Occupational Exposure to Lead 1994 to 1999 DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001-113 (2001)
Contains abstracts of and links to the full text of the related reports.

Request for Assistance in Preventing Lead Poisoning in Construction Workers. NIOSH Alert. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 91-116a (rev. 1997).
Operations such as abrasive blasting, sanding, burning, cutting, or welding on steel structures coated with lead-containing paints may produce very high concentrations of lead dust and fumes. NIOSH and OSHA have recently recommended that exposure to lead dust and fumes be minimized by the use of engineering controls and work practices, and by the use of personal protective equipment.

Protecting Workers Exposed to Lead-Based Paint Hazards: A Report to Congress DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 98-112 (1997)
This document contains results from a comprehensive study of means to reduce hazardous occupational lead abatement exposures, directed by the Housing and Community Development Act (Public Law 102?550), which included as Title X the “Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992.

Report to Congress on Workers’ Home Contamination Study Conducted Under The Workers’ Family Protection Act (29 U.S.C. 671a) DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 95-123 (1995)
This Document is a Summary of Report To Congress On Workers’ Home Contamination Study Conducted Under The Workers’ Family Protection Act (29 U.S.C. 671A).

California Department of Public Health; Occupational Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (OLPPP)

• Recommendations for improving the Cal/OSHA Lead Standards
• Management Guidelines For Blood Lead Levels In Adults (PDF) – brief table format (2012)
• Medical Guidelines for the Lead-Exposed Worker. Updated April, 2009

Lead in the Workplace: Construction Industries publications

• “Lead Exposure During Hot Cutting of Stripped Steel”; Journal article, Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 16(5): 502-505, 2001
• “Residential and Commercial Painters’ Exposure to Lead during Surface Preparation”; Journal article, AIHA Journal 63:22-28, 2002
• “Results of an Intervention to Improve Lead Safety Among Painting Contractors and Their Employees”; Journal article, American Journal of Industrial Medicine 41:119-130, 2002
• “Can Half-Day Trainings Motivate Small Contractors to Address Lead Safety?”; Journal article, Health Promotion Practice July 2004 Vol. 5, No. 3, 297-305 California Department of Health; Occupational Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (OLPPP)

Lead in the Workplace: Resources for Health Professionals

• “Family Lead Poisoning Associated with Occupational Exposure”; 5 page article, Clinical Pediatrics, November/December 2004
• “Severe Lead Poisoning in the Plastics Industry: A Report of Three Cases”; 4 page article, American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 47:172-175 (2005)

To find other publications from the State ABLES programs click on the following link:
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/niosh-survapps/statedocs/Default.aspx which goes to the NIOSH Clearinghouse; then click on “Search” and enter “lead”.

Medical Management Guidelines for Adults with Elevated Blood Lead Levels. Adopted by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologist (CSTE) Occupational Health Surveillance Subcommittee.

Overlooked: Thousands of Americans Exposed to Dangerous Levels of Lead in Their Jobs. By Ingfei Chen.

National Toxicology Program (NTP), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
NTP Monograph on Health Effects of Low-Level Lead. NIH Publication No. 12-5996.

Henn SA, Sussell AL, Li J, Shire JD, Alarcon WA, Tak S. Characterization of lead in US workplaces using data from OSHA’s integrated management information system. Am J Ind Med. 2011 May;54(5):356-65.

National Center for Environmental Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for the Identification and Management of Lead Exposure in Pregnant and Lactating Women.

Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC). Washington, DC
Medical Management Guidelines for Lead-Exposed Adults. Revised 04/24/2007.

Chowdhury R, Ebelt Sarnat S, Darrow L, McClellan W, Steenland K. Mortality among participants in a lead surveillance program. Environ Res. 2014 Apr 22;132C:100-104. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.03.008. [Epub ahead of print]

Kosnett MJ, Wedeen RP, Rothenberg SJ, Hipkins KL, Materna BL, Schwartz BS, Hu H, Woolf A.
Recommendations for Medical Management of Adult Lead Exposure. Environ Health Perspect . 2007 Mar;115(3):463-71.

Ball W, Bekle T, Bonauto D, Calvert G, Castellan R, Curwick C, Davis L, Gelberg K, Harrison R, Heumann M, Kim R, Largo T, Lim K, Materna B, Myers J, London M, Osmani L, Parker D, Reinisch F, Rosenman K, Roscoe R, Salzman D, Sestito J, Stanbury M, Thomsen C, Valiante D. Occupational Health Effect and Biologic Exposure Indicators. [PDF – 815 KB] Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, 91 pages, June, 2004

Ottlinger M, Zumwalde R, Roscoe R, Kosnett M, Hipkins K, Meister R, Materna B. Adult Blood Lead Testing: A Pivotal Role for Labs in Interpretation and Surveillance. Clin Lab News 2002 Jun; :12-14

Piacitelli GM; Whelan EA. Keeping Lead at Work. [PDF – 286 KB] J Prot Coat Linings 1996 Nov; 13(10):15-21