Heavy metals in the blood

Employees in industry may be exposed to heavy metals, especially lead in the air or in the materials being handled. We can test for Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Copper and Zinc, but it is primarily Lead we test for. At the company, it is actually quite simple: We take a normal blood sample, register the client’s data, and then we go out the door again – send the blood samples to a certified laboratory (UNILABS), and announce the test result when the result is received – typically 1-2 weeks later. For lead, the Danish Working Environment Authority’s Executive Order 1793 requires that the test is carried out again after 6 months. And if you are below the limit value, you only need to test again if the working environment (impact) changes. Lead is absorbed into the body by inhalation and via the gastrointestinal tract. Long-term exposure to lead or short-term exposure to large amounts of lead can cause damage to health,

• The Nerve system,
• The Blood,
• The Kidneys,
• The reproductive capacity, and
• The Stomach / intestinal tract.

Certain lead compounds, e.g. lead chromate, are included on the Danish Working Environment Authority’s list of substances that are considered to be carcinogenic. The Danish Working Environment Authority Order no. 1793 of 12 January 2015 Appendix 1 sets special requirements (described in AT Guide C.0.8) that the employer every 6 months must check the concentration of lead in the blood of the employees. This periodic measurement, if limits are exceeded, may result in special health examinations for the employee. Work processes and professional groups where there may be a risk of exposure to lead:

• Metal Foundries,
• Accumulator factories,
• Car Radiator/Cooler Companies
• Soldering and brazing,
• Demolition,
• Cable Burning,
• Furniture acidification.
• Electronic soldering can make a small contribution, especially in the absence of local ventilation.