Are you poisoned? The lead blood levels poll...

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Did your doctor tell you why he wanted you to take a break when your levels are in the normal range?

Talked about here in great depth: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=89297

But basically the lab gave him the range of safe, for children . . . but . . . since I'm a man of my word, I haven't cast or reloaded any since, going back this Friday.

[twotrees]

I had to get a blood work-up done, so I asked the Dr to check my lead levels.

He wasn't sure how to order it, but finialy figured it out.

Just came back at 4 micro, gm/Dl.

Good to go.

[ubetcha]

don't hold me to this ,but I understand that vitiman B is suppose to help in the reduction of lead in the body.I had heard that large doses are given to people that have had excessive lead concerns to help lower the level in their systems

[HammerMTB]

I was getting other blood work done, so asked the doc if he wanted to throw this on. He said, you get exposure at work, don't you? I told him not really, unless touching a wheelweight from time to time counts. I don't know that casting is much exposure either, but this would check.
So, the results were, my blood level is 4 (4 what I'm not sure. 4 micro-grams/decaliter I think, but whatever the unit)
As near as I can tell, that is very low. The doc says there are no minimum acceptable levels, so any is more than you were born with, but there are some published limits I found.
WHO says max environmental exposure is <20. I am 1/5 of that.
OSHA says the occupational exposure limit is 40. I am 1/10 of that.
Symptoms of lead poisoning may show at about 50, except in children, where damage occurs sooner.

So, all that to say the things I do to minimize exposure seem to be adequate, and those things are not burdensome to me.
No mask or breathing junk, just don't sit there with my face over the pot. Too hot there anyway.
I try to be careful with the dross, as I understand the oxides are some of the worst of it, and really, I'm more concerned that the grandkids don't get into it than anything. It's the throwaway, I don't want it.
Sweep up and clean up when I'm done smelting or casting.
Wash my hands and don't handle/eat food while I'm handling lead.
Wear gloves while the pot's hot, and that primarily so I don't get burned.

When I started I was wary, not knowing what it took to be safe. Time and some research, both here and other places, has taught a lot. The blood test kind of closes the loop for me.

[JanZ]

And I've been using lead in one form or another for a lot of those years, everything from using lead fishing weights, casting sinkers and bullets.

Even worked 32 years with the Telephone company and did everything from soldering to working with lead sheathed cable as a lineman / splicer.

I had a complete physical about five years ago and they did a heavy metals screen on me at that time and it came back at zero levels.

Bottom line here is lead is poisonious but not nearly as much as some would like you to beleive, some simple precautions will stand you in good stead when using lead.

Wash your hands, melt it outside avoid breathing the dust that comes off old lead and don't smoke or drink with out first washing your hands after working with lead and you will be fine.

Oh yeah one last thing, don't pinch those split shot on your fishing line with your teeth.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

I was just wondering about all of the game I have eaten with lead shot in it. You get most of it out but you can find a piece in a rabbit or pheasant. What about the guy who gets shot and they leave the bullet in? All my jig heads are lead. I have fished forever. I'm sure lead is not beneficial but ........... I guess as far as danger goes, working on the Interstate is more of a concern to me.

[rhbrink]

Just had mine checked wasn't my idea my doctor belongs to the same gun club that I do, saw me at the range one day and was asking what I was shooting. Ugh cast bolits of course well we need to check those lead levels. So I have been casting boolits and fishing lures for about 40 years more or less I was a little bit worried about how this would turn out, thinking about the worst case deals that I could think of. Turned out my level was 8 everybody is happy. Keep doing what you are doing and of yea need to lose another 10#'s of course.

[zxcvbob]

I got my bll level checked last week. No symptoms or anything, I just thought I should check it while I was at the Dr. office anyway. Doc called and left a message that it was normal. I saw him again today and he said it was at the very upper end of the "normal" range. I think it was 17.something. We're gonna start checking it once a year.

Guess I better take the brass tumbler outside, (and clean the basement floor really well where it was set up), turn on an exhaust vent when I'm casting boolits, don't render scrap lead in the garage, and start taking daily vitamin C tablets for the next month or so.

I thought just washing my hands well whenever I handled lead would be enough. Almost but not quite. I have one more bucket (about 30#) of nasty dusty lead scrap from an indoor range to melt down into ingots this weekend, then I'll be out of the smelting business for winter. Maybe I ought to wear a disposable dust mask (or a wet bandana over my face) when I pour the stuff since it's so dusty.

[old turtle]

I don't like indoor ranges so that is not a problem. I cast with a ton of ventilation. In any event with just common (not so common these days) sense there should be no problems. This is the most over hyped exposure I can think of. My mother did not let me eat paint of the walls and I am not eating or licking the printing on grocery bags which is the latest cause for the greenies.

[home in oz]

So what ARE the symptoms...

[zxcvbob]

Headaches, chronic fatigue, irritability, changes in sleep patterns, inability to concentrate, memory loss. (Kind of like getting old)

[dicko]

There has been a lot of sense posted on this thread. Let me confirm it. I am a commercial bullet caster. Not big volumes, more a part time beer money business, really. But I cast more bullets in a year that most home casters will cast in a lifetime. Being self employed, I get a complete medical check every two years. On two of those occasions I requested a lead test. The result was "normal" but I don't know what the actual numbers were. After this thread, I'll remember to ask next time.

The staff at my local lead foundry work with huge quantities of lead all day. They are tested twice a year. No abnormal levels have ever been found.

Lead has its particular hazards, but no more so that many other materials, and the key to all of them is sensible precautions. Lead is poisonous in that it will damage the body if it gets in in sufficient quantity. It is cumulative, and is never expelled from the body.

It can get into the body in two ways : through the skin from regular handling, and via fumes. Pure lead, and scrap which is mostly quite soft, will smear on the hands. Handling the occasional piece is unlikely to do any harm, but regular handling is best avoided. I handle scrap with a pair of garden gloves, which takes care of that risk.

It is of course inconvenient to wear gloves when handling cast bullets. But they are hard enough with some antimony in them, not to be a problem. When I'm lubing I am handling them non stop all day, and have never noticed any smearing on my hands.

Lead fumes are dangerous because they are odourless and colorless and thus undetectable. But lead does not fume below 900F. As that is way above any reasonable casting temperature, there is no hazard and no need for extractor fans.

The risk of poisoning is therefore slight in the extreme. I reckon it is a convenient rationale for the social do gooders who are causing so many problems in society to no good purpose. We have our share of 'em in South Africa.

[home in oz]

Well, I reckon I am suffering from lead exposure as I have all the symptoms....

[Beekeeper]

Aren't we all.
Huh what were we talking about just now,I forget.

Jim

[shagg]

um, somebody throw some examples of symptoms? I dont think i have any but i'm not sure. if ido it may be from casting or maybe the few shotgun pellets in my left arm.......

Ron

[jcwit]

Ron, try googling lead poisoning. You'll get all the symptoms.

[leadhead115]

i work in the underground utility industry and we splice lead cable 8, 10, sometimes 16 hours a day. we get tested for blood leads every three months and at least once a year, we have to wear this little air suction pump and a little filtered disc positioned by your face to see how much airborne lead your being exposed too. I don't believe I work any differently than anybody else but my lead levels have never been above 9.4. while some guys are up in the 30s 40s and 50s. i just think people may metabolise lead differently than other people. hygiene is often stressed. wash your hands often. don't eat around lead. don't smoke after handling lead. people will do what they will do but i think it varies from person to person.

[shootingbuff]

LOL, I'm a low volume loader with a small tumbler. I only run about 50 cases at a time for big rifle cartridges, or about a hundered of my 45 ACPs. With a larger tumbler I'm sure you could get away with a lot more between changes. This isn't any kind of published guideline either, just a number I set for my own use.

Bounce dryer sheets and add polish now and then will keep dust down.

Please send me your media - I be poo

My biggest fear is shooting at the indoor range. It is at most a twice a month thing but usually once a month. Before my move last yr I was at the range 2-3 times a week for 11-12 yrs (outdoors). Before the indoor range I at first used a mask when messing with media but now just turned my head and was out side or in the garage with the door up some and a fan blowing. Other than the mental problems of having to pick up every pc of brass I see and WW or expended round I am fine.

[DeanWinchester]

Lead poisoning? Gee, I guess I better stop chewing on the stuff.

[Shooter6br]

I need to stop chewing on those Chi-Com imported childrens toys.