Lead Regulations -

(b)leading ahead since 2001?

Occupational Health & Safety Act (85 of 1993)Government Notice R. 236

28 February 2002

Lead Regulations, 2001

www.labour.gov.za/OHSA: Lead Guideline

Medical surveillance

the employee is exposed to an airborne lead concentration exceeding the OEL

the employee is exposed to tetra-alkyl lead

an occupational medicine practitioner certifies that the relevant employee should be under medical surveillance

ANNEXURE A[Regulation 8(2)(b)

(i)]

Blood lead g/100 mℓ

Maximum intervals between blood lead

measurements

Under 20 12 months

20 – 39 6 months

40 – 59 3 months

60 and overAt the discretion of the occupational medicine practitioner;

Lead other than Tetra-alkyl lead

ANNEXURE B[Regulation 8(2)(b)

(ii)]

Urinary lead g/ℓitre

Maximum intervals between urinary lead

measurements

Under 120 6 weeks

120 – 149 1 week

150 and overAt the discretion of the

occupational medicine practitioner;

Tetra-alkyl Lead

ANNEXURE C[Regulation

8(d)]

Blood lead level g / 100 mℓRemoval level

Date effected

75 30 June 2002

70 30 June 2003

65 30 June 2004

60 30 June 2005

Lead other than Tetra-alkyl lead

International Standards ACGIH (USA): < 30 µg/100ml www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ABLES/ CDC: < 10 µg/100ml for pregnant females Europe:

EU Chemical Agents Directive (98/24/EEC): < 70 µg/100ml male & female

Sweden: < 50 µg/100ml UK: < 60 µg/100ml Germany: < 70 µg/100ml Sep 2000 EU Scientific Committee for Occupational

Exposure Limits (SCOEL): < 30 µg/100ml for male & female

                                                                             

HSE: UK Suspension levels

198070 µg/100ml

199860 µg/100ml

Action50 µg/100ml

Data courtesy of:Volker Schillack, Analytical Toxicologist, Ampath

Lead exposure Jan - Dec 2002 ( South Africa)

5 -40 ug/100ml61%

0 - 5 ug/100ml22%

> 40 ug/100ml17%

Population 5933 Average 21.76 ug/100ml

Lead exposure Jan - Dec 2003 (South Africa)

5 -40 ug/100ml58%

0 - 5 ug/100ml22%> 40 ug/100ml

20%

Population 8100 Average 24.55 ug/100ml

Data courtesy of:Volker Schillack, Analytical Toxicologist, Ampath

Lead exposure Jan - Dec 2004(South Africa)

> 40 ug/100ml17%

0 - 5 ug/100ml18%

5 -40 ug/100ml65%

Population 9190 Average 27.11 ug/100ml

Data courtesy of:Volker Schillack, Analytical Toxicologist, Ampath

Lead exposure Jan - Dec 2005(South Africa)

Above BEI> 40 ug/100ml

17%

No exposure0 - 5

ug/100ml16%

Exposure5 -40

ug/100ml67%

Population 10670 Average 31.25 ug/100ml

Data courtesy of:Volker Schillack, Analytical Toxicologist, Ampath

SOUTH AFRICA INDUSTRY LEAD (Pb) EXPOSURE

2002 -2005

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

2002 2003 2004 2005

YEAR

%

0 - 5 ug/100ml 5 - 40 ug/100ml >40 ug/100ml

Population5933

Population8100

Population9190

Population10670

Data courtesy of:Volker Schillack, Analytical Toxicologist, Ampath

a female employee who is capable of procreation and who carries out work that exposes her to lead, is removed from such work when her blood lead concentration exceeds 40 g/100 mℓ or her urinary lead concentration exceeds 75 g/ℓ, or if she falls pregnant

the employee is not permitted to return to work that will expose her to lead unless her blood lead concentration is less than 30 g/100 mℓ or her urinary lead concentration is less than 65 g/ℓ, or, where the removal was due to pregnancy, the employee is no longer pregnant

the occupational medicine practitioner, if he or she deems it necessary, may certify an employee who has a blood lead concentration of less than 60 g/100 mℓ to be unfit for work in an area in which he or she is exposed to lead

Record keeping

keep all records of assessments and air monitoring for a minimum period of 40 years

keep all medical surveillance records for a minimum period of 40 years and if he, she or it ceases activities, hand over or forward by registered post all those records to the relevant provincial director

Thank you!

Hanli de Wet

MBChB, MMed (Occupational Medicine)Unit 9, Kingfisher Park, Somerset WestTel & Fax: 021-851-1153Cell: 082-925-1557E-mail: mac2@telkomsa.net