Exposure to Lead

3,602

Lead workers under medical surveillance in Great Britain, 2020/21

6

Lead workers suspended from work due to excess blood-lead levels

British lead workers under medical surveillance

A column chart showing the total number of British lead workers under medical surveillance between 2011/12 to 2020/21. The darker column shows the total number for the most recent year 2020/21 where just over 3,600 lead workers were under medical surveillance. This has decreased from just under 8,000 lead workers under medical surveillance in 2011/12.

Male / Female split of British lead workers under medical surveillance

A donut chart showing the gender split of the 3,602 workers under medical surveillance in the year 2020/21. The darker section of the chart shows the number of females under medical surveillance. Overall, there were 3,479 males under medical surveillance (97%) and 123 females under medical surveillance (3%).

Top five industry sectors for males under medical surveillance (3-year average)

A bar chart showing which five sectors employed the largest number of males under medical surveillance in 2018/19-2020/21. These were the smelting, refining, alloying and casting sector (1), the lead battery manufacture sector (2), Working with metallic lead and lead containg alloys sector (3), the demolition industry (4) and the lead battery recycling sector (5).

Top five industry sectors for females under medical surveillance (3-year average)

A bar chart showing which five sectors employed the largest number of females under medical surveillance in 2018/19-2020/21. These were the smelting, refining, alloying and casting sector (1), the working with metallic lead and lead containing alloys sector (2), the lead battery manufacture sector (3), the scrap industry (4) and the glass making sector (5).

Full report on exposure to lead

Exposure to Lead in Great Britain, 2021

Full report on historical trends of exposure to lead

Medical Surveillance of Blood-Lead Levels, 1992/93 – 2009/10

More information on lead exposure

Updated 2022-03-31