[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 206 (Friday, October 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55407-55408]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28219]


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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; Republication

    This notice is being republished because the  symbol was 
missing throughout the original document published in the Federal 
Register on October 7, 1997 (62 FR 52343).

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 23, 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.
    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 
limited to, the following:
    1. Occupational (environmental) exposure data.
    2. Data on the effectiveness of engineering controls, work 
practices,

[[Page 55408]]

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: October 20, 1997.
Linda Rosenstock,
Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 97-28219 Filed 10-23-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-19-P