title: Lead exposures during shipboard chipping and grinding paint-removal operations.
abstract: Shipboard chipping and grinding paint-removal operations were evaluated to determine personnel exposures to airborne lead concentrations. Lead concentrations found in the bulk lead-paint samples ranged from 0.0037 to 11.5% by weight. Of the personnel conducting paint removal operations, 62% were exposed at or above the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit for lead of 50 micrograms/m3. Correlations of airborne lead concentrations and bulk lead-paint contents for chipping and grinding operations were statistically significant. Blood lead (Pb) levels were significantly higher in the follow-up blood tests when compared to the initial blood tests taken prior to paint removal. However, blood Pb levels were well below the OSHA allowable level of 40 micrograms/100 g.
authors.affiliation: Department of the Navy, Navy Environmental Health Center, Norfolk, VA 23513-2617.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Zedd
authors.forename: Y P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D009326:Naval Medicine; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010150:Paint / Q000032:analysis*; D012767:Ships
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D007854:Lead