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- Title
Window renovation and exposure to lead—an observational study.
- Authors
Mason, Howard; Gallagher, Frank; Dil Sen
- Abstract
Background Renovation of windows in old houses has recently established itself as an industry. A recognizable occupational lead exposure exists, which has not been studied previously.Aim To compare lead exposure amongst window renovators with other groups of lead-exposed workers.Methods Using blood lead results measured at the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL), Sheffield, comparisons were made between three cohorts: window renovation workers, all male workers monitored by HSL during the period 1999–2001 and 63 male subjects involved in chemical paint-stripping of wood.Results Both the window renovation and the wood-stripping cohorts show significantly higher blood lead distributions than the ‘all workers’ cohort (P < 0.001). A similar pattern was also found for comparison of the prevalence of subjects above the UK suspension level of 60 μg/dl (2.89 μM) (window renovation, P < 0.001; wood-stripping, P < 0.0001). Blood lead results at or above the suspension level in wood-strippers were significantly higher compared to window renovators (P = 0.034).Conclusion Window renovation is shown to present a potential for significant lead exposure, and suspension from work under The Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002. Two groups of risk factors predominate: the well-documented potential for release of lead from old paint, and the peripatetic nature of the work.
- Subjects
UNITED Kingdom; HOME remodeling; WINDOWS; HOUSE construction; HEALTH &; Safety Laboratory (Great Britain)
- Publication
Occupational Medicine, 2005, Vol 55, Issue 8, p631
- ISSN
0962-7480
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/occmed/kqi159