[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 [email protected] 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