Skip to main content

Oregon State Flag An official website of the State of Oregon »

Oregon Health Authority logo

Work-related Lead Poisoning

Lead exposure can cause serious health issues for workers and their families. 


A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that looked at data from 1994 to 2013 shows that most adult lead exposures in the United States have historically been connected to work:

  • Among adults with known lead exposures and blood lead levels (BLLs) of 10 µg/dL or more, about 90% came into contact with lead at work. 
  • Lead exposure is more likely to happen in certain industries, like construction, manufacturing, and mining.
  • More data about lead exposure at work is available on the CDC's website.

To see the answers to frequently asked questions about lead at work, click on a question below to expand that section. More information about OHA's Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) Program can be found after the FAQ section.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Lead

​Adults can get lead poisoning from being around lead at work. Workers can breathe in lead dust or fumes, or accidentally swallow lead dust while eating, drinking, or smoking on the job. Adults can also be exposed through hobbies or activities that use lead.

Adults can be exposed to lead if they work in:

  • Painting, remodeling or renovation
  • Radiator, battery or automotive repair
  • Ceramics making and glaze mixing
  • Soldering or cutting metal
  • Bridge construction and repair
  • Jewelry making
  • Demolition of old buildings
  • Foundries and scrap metal operations
  • Shooting ranges

Adults can be exposed to lead if they have the following hobbies:

  • Using and making/melting fishing sinkers
  • Making or handling bullets, visiting shooting ranges, or hunting
  • Welding, auto or boat repair
  • Making of ceramics, stained glass, or jewelry
  • Furniture refinishing, home remodeling or painting

People who work with lead can accidently bring lead dust home on their clothes or skin. This can expose their families to lead. Practicing good hygiene can help avoid this. Hobbyists who use lead can also lower their risk by following a few basic safety steps. See the "How can I protect myself and my family" section for more information. 

​Adults with high lead levels often don’t look or feel sick. However, lead can still harm the body when there are no symptoms. Even if someone does have symptoms, they can look like many other illnesses. The only way to know if an adult has lead poisoning is with a blood test. A worker in a machine shop using a pencil on top of their equipment. They have protective googles on their head.

Common signs or symptoms include:

  • Tiredness or weakness
  • Irritability
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Headache
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Aches or pains in stomach
  • Loss of appetite
  • Constipation
  • Nausea
  • Weight loss

​Lead is a powerful poison that stays in the body for a long time. It can build up to dangerous levels even from exposure to small amounts over time. A high blood lead level means that lead is building up faster than the body can get rid of it.

​Health impacts include:

  • Impotency or reproductive system problems
  • Brain and nervous system damage
  • High blood pressure
  • Digestive problems
  • Kidney problems
  • Anemia
  • Hearing, vision, and muscle coordination problems

​Following these tips can help reduce your risk:

  1. Don't eat, drink, or smoke while working. Wash your hands and face before breaks or meals so you don’t swallow lead dust.
  2. Keep your work area clean by using wet cleaning methods or through using a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Do not dry sweep or use compressed air - this can spread the lead dust even more.
  3. Keep your regular clothes in a locker. Change out of work clothes and shoes before going home. Another option is to shower and put on clean clothes and shoes before leaving work or your hobby area.
  4. If you wash your work clothes at home, wash them separately from your family’s laundry.
  5. Keep your vehicle clean and free of lead dust.
  6. Keep children away from work and hobby areas where lead is used. To learn more about how lead impacts children, visit the childhood lead program website.
  7. Follow all safety rules at your workplace.
  8. If you are given a respirator, use it and clean it afterwards. Make sure it fits and works correctly.
  9. If you work with lead at your job or in a hobby, be sure to get a blood test to check your lead levels.

A worker holding a white hard hat with a white mask around their neck.

Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) Program

Oregon ABLES has been part of the national ABLES program t​hrough the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) since 1991. At that time, Oregon changed rules 333 017 and 333 018 so that high lead levels would be reported to OHA's Public Health Division. 

The goals of this program are to: 
  • Identify adults who have high blood lead levels and find out more about how they were exposed. 
  • Make sure they get the right medical care. 
  • Support the person, their employer, and their healthcare providers in reducing or removing the source of lead exposure. 
  • Check if any family members are also affected. 
  • Create plans and share educational resources to help reduce or prevent lead exposure in the future.

  • We define an occupational lead poisoning case as an adult (16 or older) with a blood lead level (BLL) of 10 µg/dL or higher. Right now, we only provide case management for adults with levels of 25 µg/dL or higher.
  • All Oregon workers who get a blood lead test can be included in our database, except people who are self employed or covered by Federal OSHA (such as longshore workers or federal employees). We report all cases above 10 µg/dL to NIOSH. Every quarter, we share a list of employers who had at least 1 worker with a level of 25 µg/dL or higher with OR-OSHA.