Lead Exposures Among Employees at a Bullet Manufacturing Company — Missouri, 2017

[dbosman]

If this isn't the right area, please move it and accept my apology.
This is a CDC report from their Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)that resulted from the CDC being called in to inspect, by the bullet company.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/...cid=mm6739a7_e

[CJR]

dbosman,

What relevance does this article have to bullet casters on this forum? Obviously, the employees, in this article, are working eight (8) hour days and 40 hour work weeks inside a closed building. Everything mentioned in the article about lead levels can be very easily controlled with some simple options that are not "Rocket Science". Serious bullet casters may cast large quantities a couple of times a year while outside in fresh air. I've been casting since about 1957. Likewise, I've had numerous routine medical exams and blood tests over my entire life. NO doctor has ever told me that I have an elevated level of lead in my body.

The report just appears to be another liberal left-wing attempt to stop/regulate bullet casting. Give me a freaking break! Maybe you need to post this article on some left-wing media site that's interested in eliminating the Second Amendment and regulating bullet production. In my view, this article is BS. Take that from a guy who has conducted research, in multiple fields of science, and authored and presented international technical papers.

Best regards,

CJR

[Wheelguns 1961]

It is not an article! It is a report from the CDC. Center for disease control.

[zymguy]

not eating in bullet production areas seems reasonable. I found this interesting and I'm glad it was posted. I read this as if we continue with some simple precautions we're fine. These people were breaking rules we know. If they had been doing everything right and had elevated levels Id give it a second thought. My over valued $0.02

[Wheelguns 1961]

What I found interesting is that they had lead on their hands after washing them. Maybe I should start wearing gloves. I have high blood pressure and am wondering if this is contributing. I think I will get tested.

[CJR]

Wheelguns1961,

With all due respect. This is not a report. The title; "Notes from the field" etc. Scientific reports document how the testing was preformed, what equipment was used and lists the actual data obtained and cites how the data was analyzed. This is an article.

Best regards,

CJR

[gwpercle]

I don't care !

[reddog81]

What I found interesting is that they had lead on their hands after washing them. Maybe I should start wearing gloves. I have high blood pressure and am wondering if this is contributing. I think I will get tested.

That was my thoughts as well. I wear gloves while casting, but often times handle the lead before hand with my bare hands. If I buy some cheap "lead handling gloves" I'd pretty much eliminate any direct exposure.

I wonder what level of hand washing they are doing that allows lead to remain on their skin? I have heard that lead is pretty easily washed from your hands.

[Wheelguns 1961]

Something else intriguing was lead away soap. Anyone ever heard or have used this.

[dragon813gt]

Something else intriguing was lead away soap. Anyone ever heard or have used this.

I use it as a precaution as I have two little kids. The brand is D-Lead. It’s not really necessary but I took every precaution when they were babies.

[Wheelguns 1961]

I use it as a precaution as I have two little kids. The brand is D-Lead. It’s not really necessary but I took every precaution when they were babies.

Thanks, good to know.

[Jackpine]

Interesting article, altho pretty limited in scope. I have had my blood level checked annually for many years. I what I would consider a fairly low amount of casting, only in outdoor settings, always wearing a mask. I am careful with loading to the point of being paranoid. I do act as a range officer and timer operator at well over a dozen shooting competitions a year, where I am in close proximity to thousands of rounds being shot. My blood level has never been lower than 8.5. I have spent a fair amount of time trying to find where the level of "5" or above being considered elevated comes from. As a competitive shooter, I have asked dozens of people about their blood levels and have never found anyone whose test results were less than 7. I have also never found anyone who was not a competitive shooter who had ever had their blood tested. I do not know if all shooters have elevated lead levels, or if most folks off the streets have levels that would fall into the "high" category.

In my limited research I have learned that their is supposedly a fair amount of lead particles released from the primer detonation and lead residue left in fired cases. Anecdotal evidence points to the possibility of exposure from dust generated from tumbling cases for cleaning in dry media and exposure from being in close proximity to repeated firearm discharge.

What I do know is that my doctor is not concerned about my levels. OSHA, an organization which is known to cause all kinds of issues for business over trivial issues, does not take any action unless levels are above 20.

As I said, my levels have never been below 8.5, and a year ago I tested higher in the spring, had a retest done in Sept which was 32 and then three months later was down to 16. Ironically, a friend, who had the tests done within days at the same two labs that I used for the test and retest, got almost identical results. Coincidence, lab issues or ? I have no idea.

Sorry, no real insights, just my experiences.

Jackpine

[Victor N TN]

We had a liquid soap in a plain squeeze bottle at work with a label that just said D-LEAD. I thought it was something they made at work... We didn't machine lead a lot. But there was always some in the shop. It was either finished parts or parts waiting to be machined.

[pjames32]

I am interested in this report. I've been smelting and casting for 50 years and have annual checks. So far I'm good and want to stay that way. Any ideas to reduce my exposure are welcome. I do smelt outdoors and cast indoors with an exhaust fan. Thx for posting.

[NSB]

I worked for many years in a plant that coated radiator tubes with lead back when they were making copper/brass radiators. I supervised thirty-one tube mills and each mill had a lead pot with thirty-five hundred pounds of molten lead in the pot. I had a three shift operation for a total of over ninety employees handling lead and the products that were coated with it. In a three year period where I managed that operation I had only three employees with elevated lead levels. It was found that these employees ignored many of the safety protocols and training that they were given regarding working in this area. I found employees heating their lunches on top of the lead pots, smoking and sitting the cigarettes on the work surfaces, and they were not wearing gloves when handling the lead ingots. They were taken off the job and moved elsewhere to work. Over time their lead levels returned to normal. Basically, they simply failed to follow instructions. There's nothing worth noting in the OP. No one needs to suffer from lead exposure if they follow common sense safety rules.

[jimb16]

I've been tested a couple of times specifically for lead. I don't cast as much as I used to, but they never found any increase above normal background trace amounts. I quit worrying about lead a long time ago. I just continue to use the usual safe practices.

[country gent]

Our can lines had a lead pot on them for years ( 3 piece cans) Probably 80 lbs capacity. Had a little feeder for the 10 lb ingots. this was used to solder the can bodies side seams. Originally 99% pure lead was used then in the late 70s to early80s they switched to pure tin. Now its all 2 piece cans. These ran for a long time Machines were new in the 50s. I dont remember any lead exposure issues with osha, missing gaurds, safety switches not working, blind corners needing mirrors and the like mostly. For better than 100 years cans side seams were lead soldered to seal and hold vacuum.

[Mr_Sheesh]

"these lesions were caused by molten lead." is the part that gets me. No PPE gear? Or bad PPE gear?

[NSB]

"these lesions were caused by molten lead." is the part that gets me. No PPE gear? Or bad PPE gear?

We gave every employee sleeves to wear when loading the pots. The one's getting burned were NOT wearing them like they were supposed to. You can't fix stupid.

[GregLaROCHE]

I had a very high blood level after collecting range scrap and making ingots. For a month until my next blood test, I was truly worried. I did a lot of research and I am convinced that the possibility of getting lead poisoning from a recreational use is real.

I was lucky. I got a big dose during a short period of time. That is much better than getting a small dose for a long time. When the lead is in your blood, your body can eliminate it if you stop being exposed to it. When you are exposed, even at lower doses, the lead gets into your organs and bones where it takes a lot longer to be removed and can do the most harm.

How do you know if you are being poisoned or not? This is a difficult question, because it normally affects people in later life and has symptoms that are the same as we attribute to old age. Don’t guess. Get a blood test. You have to ask for it as it is not usually tested for in routine blood tests, unless there is a known risk.

A few months ago I posted about my experience with links to info on the subject. Search in the forum for my threads if you’re interested. I’m done preaching. If you don’t believe it exists that’s your right.