Why Is This Important?

Among adults, lead poisoning is primarily a preventable occupational health problem. Lead exposure in adults can cause anemia, nervous system dysfunction, kidney problems, hypertension, decreased fertility and miscarriages. Lead exposure may also harm children and other family members through contamination unintentionally brought home from the workplace. Possible sources of non-occupational lead exposure to adults may include: lead-contaminated dust created during home renovations; engaging in a hobby that involves lead (example: bullet making); food stored in lead-soldered cans or improperly glazed pottery; some traditional folk remedies and cosmetics; and some sources of tap water.

Definition

Incidence and prevalence rates of New Jersey adults reported to have elevated blood lead levels in a specified time interval.

Data Sources

• Occupational Health Surveillance Unit, New Jersey Department of Health
  (https://www.nj.gov/health/workplacehealthandsafety/occupational-health-surveillance/)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor
  (https://www.bls.gov/)

How the Measure is Calculated

How Are We Doing?

In New Jersey, there has been a trend towards decreasing blood lead levels (BLLs) in adults over time. However, this should be interpreted cautiously for a variety of reasons including an overall decrease in manufacturing in New Jersey, the closing of a large lead acid battery manufacturing facility in the state, and the implementation of an electronic reporting system which more efficiently collects and de-duplicates reported lead cases. Despite these overall trends, the NJDOH still routinely finds elevated blood lead values greater than or equal to 25ug/dL in workers employed in certain industries. Employers are required to offer annual medical exams to workers who have BLLs greater than or equal to 40 ug/dL.

What Is Being Done?

The NJDOH Occupational Health Surveillance Unit identifies high-risk workplaces and provides education and outreach materials to workers and employers. In certain cases, the program may refer employers to federal OSHA or the NJDOH Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) for an enforcement inspection.

Available Services

If you have questions, please call NJDOH at (609) 826-4984. Access the NJ Occupational Health Surveillance Unit Environmental and Occupational Heavy Metals Poisonings web page at: [http://www.nj.gov/health/workplacehealthandsafety/occupational-health-surveillance/heavy-metals/] For information related to training and certification for lead-removal workers: [http://www.state.nj.us/health/ceohs/lead/]

More Resources

Access the CDC Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) web page at: [https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/lead/programs/index.html] U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA: Lead [https://www.osha.gov/lead]

Health Program Information

Additional information on surveillance and services related to the prevention of occupational lead poisoning can be obtained from:[[br]] NJ Department of Health[[br]] Occupational Health Surveillance Unit[[br]] PO Box 369[[br]] Trenton, NJ 08625-0360[[br]] Phone: (609) 826-4984[[br]] Fax: (609) 826-4983[[br]] [http://www.nj.gov/health/workplacehealthandsafety/occupational-health-surveillance/]