Lead Exposure Health Hazards

Pure Lead, also known as Pb, is a heavy metal at room temperatures and pressure. This basic chemical element can combine with various other substances to form lead compounds. Here’s some important information on lead exposure health hazards.

Unfortunately lead has been poisoning workers for many years. It can lead to damage in the nervous system, cardiovascular system, reproductive system, hematological system, and kidneys.

Chronic overexposure can result in severe damage to the brain and central nervous system. Below are the most common symptoms of lead overexposure:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea
  • Excessive tiredness
  • Headache
  • Fine tremors
  • Metallic taste in mouth
  • And much more….!

Lead is toxic to both male and female reproductive systems. Lead can alter the structure of sperm cells and there is evidence of miscarriage and stillbirth in women exposed to lead or whose partners have been exposed. Children born to parents who were exposed to excess lead levels are more likely to have birth defects, mental retardation, or behavioral disorders or to die during the first year of childhood.

Engineering controls such as local and general exhaust ventilation, process and equipment modification, material substitution, component replacement, and isolation or automation can all be used to help control the exposure of the worker to lead.

Disclaimer: The information and suggestions contained in these safety talks are believed to be reliable. However, the authors of the topics and the owners of this web site accept no legal responsibility for the correctness, sufficiency, or completeness of such information or suggestions contained within these topics. These guidelines do not supercede local, state, or federal regulations and must not be construed as a substitute for, or legal interpretation of, any OSHA regulations.