Exposure to lead

There was an overall reduction in the number of British workers under medical surveillance for work with lead over the past decade. Women have consistently accounted for a small proportion of the total under surveillance, and the number of young people (under 18 years) under surveillance remains low.

The most recent medical surveillance data show:

• The total number of workers under medical surveillance rose by 6% from 7472 in 2010/11 to 7945 in 2011/12
• The industry sector with the highest number of males under surveillance was the smelting, refining, alloying and casting sector
• In 2011/12, 13 males had blood-lead levels of 60µg/100ml or above compared with 153 in 2001/02
• The industry sector with the highest number of females under surveillance was work involving metallic lead and lead containing alloys
• In 2011/12, 5 females had blood-lead levels of 30µg/100ml or above compared with 24 in 2001/02
• There were 14 suspensions (13 males and 1 female) due to excess blood-lead levels in workers under surveillance in 2011/12

The total number of British lead workers under medical surveillance since 2001/02

• More detailed information on medical surveillance of blood lead levels
• Information on trends in medical surveillance of blood lead levels prior to the implementation of changes to the industrial sector categories