Reducing occupational lead exposures: Strengthened standards for a healthy workforce

Abstract

Outdated federal and state occupational lead standards leave workers and their families vulnerable to the adverse effects of lead. Standards should be updated to reflect the best available scientific and medical evidence, which documents harm to multiple organ systems even at low levels of exposure. This commentary will review the inadequacies of existing policies, highlight susceptible populations, and briefly summarize state revision efforts to date. Federal policies must be strengthened to protect all workers and their families from this well-documented hazard.