Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley and Client Communications Coordinator Megan Lockhart discuss the enhanced occupational lead exposure standards, recently approved by Cal/OSHA.
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Director/Host: Alyssa Burley
Guest: Megan Lockhart
Producer/Editor: Lauren Stumpf
Music: "Home" by JHS Pedals, “News Room News” by Spence
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Transcript
Alyssa Burley: Hi, this is Alyssa Burley with Rancho Mesa's Media Communications and Client Services Department. Thank you for listening to today's top Rancho Mesa news brought to you by our Safety and Risk Management Network, StudioOne. Welcome back everyone. My guest is Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator with Rancho Mesa. Today we're talking about the Enhanced Occupational Lead Exposure Standards for the Enhanced Occupational Lead Exposure Standards. Megan, welcome to the show.
Megan Lockhart: Hi Alyssa, happy to be here.
AB: Now these updated requirements will go into effect January 1st, 2025 and they have significantly lowered two important factors. The permissible exposure limit or the PEL by 80 % and the action limit which also is referred to as the AL by 93%. So Megan can you explain what this all means?
ML: Of course. So the permissible exposure limit is the legal limit that an employee can be exposed to a chemical substance or physical agent. And the previous PEL for lead was 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, and it's now been reduced to 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air. And the action limit is the maximum value that can be reached before an action is needed to correct an issue. In this case, it's lead. so the previous AL was 30 micrograms per cubic meter of air, and it's now only 2 micrograms per cubic meter of air.
AB: All right, so those are some big changes. So employers must also comply with stricter testing and assessments to ensure lead levels are under these limits. Is that correct?
ML: Yes, they'll have to. So employers must give workers exposure assessments to determine lead exposure in the blood. And if employers don’t perform these assessments, they're required to provide respiratory protection, protective work clothing and equipment, medical surveillance, training and posted warning signs.
AB: Okay, so if you're an employer, you've tested the work site and your employees for lead exposure, what happens if your employee's exposure reaches that new action limit?
ML: Yeah, so in the case that employees are exposed to lead at or above that limit, companies are required to implement a medical surveillance program. And this includes medical examinations and procedures at no cost to the employees. And these employees also must be temporarily removed from work and have medical removal protection benefits, in which they won't lose earnings, seniority, or any other employment rights.
AB: Okay, that's all good to know. Are there any other actions companies will need to take if they exceed that new action limit for exposure?
ML: Yeah, so employers will also need to provide employees with respirators and protective work clothing and equipment, enact hygiene and housekeeping practices, offer lead exposure prevention training and maintain monitoring and medical records of exposed employees for a minimum of 40 years.
AB: Okay, so these new lead exposure standards in the workplace are something really to be taken seriously and applies both. to construction and general industries. So how should employers prepare for this to go into effect? I mean, we're less than a year away.
ML: Yeah, so if you're an employer, you should conduct new air monitoring tests and exposure assessments as soon as possible to give yourself plenty of time to make sure you'll still be compliant with the new exposure limits and make any changes to your work environment if necessary before that January 1st date. And for more information about this, you can visit the Cal/OSHA website.
AB: Cal/OSHA has a lot of really good information on their website. You know, thanks for bringing up this topic. I think that our clients really appreciate that you're keeping an eye on things that are going to affect them. So, Megan, thanks for joining me in StudioOne.
ML: Of course, thank you.
AB: This is Alyssa Burley with Rancho Mesa. Thanks for tuning in to our latest episode produced by StudioOne. For more information, visit us at RanchoMesa.com and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
