Lead

Job Tasks Associated with Lead Poisoning
Name Synonyms Definition
Smelting or casting lead Lead production; scrap metal recycling, refining lead, melting lead, pouring lead, fire assays of ore samples containing lead (gold ores) Producing lead fume by primary or secondary smelting, includes brass, copper and lead foundries and scrap metal recycling operations
Removing lead coatings Thermal stripping or sanding of old paint (includes scraping, heat gun or power tool removal, abrasive blasting, welding and torch burning or cutting); Demolition of old structures; Steel bridge maintenance; Home renovation and remodeling; Petroleum tank repainting; Indoor and outdoor industrial maintenance and renovation; Commercial and institutional remodeling; Highway and railroad bridge demolition; Rivet busting; Housing lead abatement projects; Underground storage tank demolition; Electrical transmission tower and communication tower maintenance Welding, cutting, brazing, grinding, sanding or blasting of old paint: houses and buildings (painted before 1978); bridges; ships; steel towers; water, petroleum or underground tanks
Heating, machining, or spraying lead products Radiator repair; Battery repair; Welding, cutting, brazing, machining or grinding lead alloys; Repair and removal of water lines or cast iron soil pipes; Elevator cable babbitting; Brazing pipes and sheets; Electrical cable splicing and resplicing; Installation or removal of terne roofing; Spraying of molten lead, leaded glass or lead paint; Stained glass window removal and repair; Firing ammunition Producing lead fume or dust by heating, machining, or spraying lead products
Making lead products Lead-acid battery manufacturing; Glaze manufacturing; Lead-glazed pottery making; Crystal glass manufacturing; Making lead joints/babbitt; Pewter production; Cable production; Leaded or stained glass production; Ceramic glaze mixing and kiln firing; Paint and ink manufacture; Leaded plastics manufacture; Ammunition manufacture; Electronic components (ceramic coated capacitors and resistors) manufacturing; Manufacturing electrical components using fritted glass; Production of lead pipe, sheet, solder, type metal, cable shielding, or anodes; Mixing and weighing of lead powders Lead products manufacturing

In the next two tables are listed 66 industries and 46 occupations in which workers have an increased risk for lead exposure. The list of industries is based on reports of high blood lead levels from case studies, state and national surveillance programs, and Health Hazard Evaluations by NIOSH. For more information about this data, see Reports of High Blood Leads by SIC Codes.

Four Lead Exposure Activities and the Associated Industries
1. Heating, Machining, or Spraying Lead Products
Industry Name SIC Code
Electrical work 1731
Roofing, siding, and sheet metal work 1761
Special trade contractors, nec 1799
Fabricated plate work (boiler shops) 3443
Plating and polishing 3471
Metal coating and allied services 3479
Motor vehicle parts and accessories 3714
Ship building and repairing 3731
Railroad equipment 3743
Silverware, Plated Ware, and Stainless Steel Ware 3914
Telephone communications 4813
Electric services 4911
General automotive repair shops 7538
Automotive repair shops, nec 7539
Welding repair 7692
Repair services, nec 7699
Stained glass artists 8999
Police protection 9221
2. Making Lead Products
Industry SIC Code
Inorganic pigments 2816
Industrial inorganic chemicals, not elsewhere classified (nec) 2819
Plastics materials, resins & nonvulcanizable elastomers 2821
Lacquers & shellacs 2851
Industrial organic chemicals, nec 2869
Adhesives and sealants 2891
Chemicals and chemical preparations, nec 2899
Laminated plastics plate, sheet, and profile shapes 3083
Plastics pipe 3084
Plastics plumbing fixtures 3088
Plastics products, nec 3089
Flat glass 3211
Pressed and blown glass, nec 3229
Products of purchased glass 3231
Ceramic wall and floor tile 3253
Porcelain electrical supplies 3264
Pottery products, nec 3269
Small arms ammunition 3482
Fabricated metal products, nec 3499
Special industry machinery, nec 3559
Electronic components, nec 3679
Storage batteries 3691
3. Removing Lead Coatings
Industry SIC Code
Single - family housing construction 1521
General contractors-residential buildings, other than single-family 1522
Industrial buildings and warehouses 1541
Nonresidential construction, nec 1542
Bridge, tunnel, & elevated highway 1622
Painting, paper hanging, decorating 1721
Roofing, siding, and sheet metal work 1761
Wrecking and demolition work 1795
Special trade contractors, nec 1799
Ship building and repairing 3731
Railroad equipment 3743
Welding repair 7692
Repair services, nec 7699
4. Smelting or Casting Lead
Industry SIC Code
Gold ores 1041
Electrometallurgical products 3313
Gray iron foundries 3321
Steel foundries, not elsewhere classified (nec) 3325
Primary copper 3331
Primary nonferrous metals, nec 3339
Secondary smelting and refining of nonferrous metals 3341
Nonferrous rolling and drawing, nec 3356
Nonferrous wire drawing & insulating 3357
Nonferrous die-castings, except aluminum 3364
Copper foundries 3366
Nonferrous foundries, nec 3369
Scrap and waste materials 5093

Workers identified as belonging to a high risk industry or occupation should be asked if they engage in high-risk job tasks for lead exposure. For example, house painters should be asked if they have been removing old paint (applied before 1978). If so, has the paint been tested for lead content? In a computer-based patient record system, each patient would be coded for industry and/or occupation at the time of initial registration. The computer could be programmed to alert the physician (under certain conditions) when the patient belonged to one of the high risk industries or occupations.

Four Lead Exposure Activities and the Associated Jobs
1. Heating, Machining, or Spraying Lead Products
Occupation SOC Code
Craft Artists 29-1012
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors & Illustrators 29-1013
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers 35-3011
Elevator Installers & Repairers 45-2063
Plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters 45-2112
Roofers 45-2124
Helpers -- Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters 45-2135
Helpers -- Roofers 45-2136
Automotive Mechanics & Service Technicians 47-3004
Electrical Power-Line Installers & Repairers 47-4004
Industrial Machinery Mechanics 47-4008
Maintenance & Repair Workers, General 47-4012
Signal & Track Switch Repairers 47-4024
Electrical & Electronic Equipment Assemblers 49-2011
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 49-4007
Machinists 49-4012
Plating & Coating Machine Setters, Operators, & Tenders, Metal & Plastic 49-4035
Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Brazers 49-4051
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders 49-4052
Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, All Other 49-4099
Coating, Painting, & Spraying Machine Setters, Operators & Tenders 49-9004
Grinding & Polishing Workers, Hand 49-9015
Jewelers & Precious Stone & Metal Workers 49-9017
Painters, Transportation Equipment 49-9025
Painting, Coating & Decorating Workers 49-9026
2. Manufacturing Lead Products
Occupation SOC Code
Chemical Technician 19-4003
Assemblers & Fabricators, All Other 49-2099
Tool and Die Makers 49-4041
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders 49-9002
Extruding, Forming, Pressing & Compacting Machine Setters, Operators & Tenders 49-9013
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier & Kettle Operators & Tenders 49-9014
Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators and Tenders 49-9021
3. Removing Lead Coatings
Occupation SOC Code
First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Construction Trades & Extractive Workers 45-1001
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers 45-2083
Painters, Construction & Maintenance 45-2101
Helpers -- Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, & Stucco Masons 45-2134
Helpers -- Construction Trades Workers, All Other 45-2139
Construction Trades Workers, All Other 45-2199
Maintenance & Repair Workers, General 47-4012
Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Brazers 49-4051
Painters, Transportation Equipment 49-9025
Painting, Coating & Decorating Workers 49-9026
4. Smelting or Casting Lead
Occupation SOC Code
Materials Engineers 17-2042
Materials Scientists 19-2021
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders 49-4013
Pourers and Casters, Metal 49-4036

For information about the health effects of lead exposure, see Lead: Information for Workers, a NIOSH publication.

Revised May 30, 2018