Protecting Workers Exposed to Lead-based Paint Hazards
A Report to Congress
 

DHHS (NIOSH) PUBLICATION NO. 98-112
JANUARY 1997

Chapter 6
LEAD EXPOSURES AMONG JANITORIAL AND CUSTODIAL WORKERS
Evaluation design
Results
Conclusions and recommendations
References

EVALUATION DESIGN

NIOSH evaluated occupational lead exposures during janitorial and custodial operations, including painting, carpentry, housekeeping, plastering, plumbing, and general maintenance at the University of Maryland at College Park.1 Originally, NIOSH investigators planned to include several representative sites in the evaluation, but difficulty in recruiting employers or workers and cost constraints led to selection of one site. The selection was based upon the following factors: (1) willingness of management and employee unions to cooperate in all phases of planning and scheduling of the evaluation; (2) availability of a variety of custodial operations at one geographic location; and (3) presence of LBP in the buildings where custodial tasks were performed.

Sixteen university workers voluntarily participated in this study. Both full-shift and task-based personal air monitoring was conducted for the janitorial and custodial workers. Some of the tasks were of very short duration, in some cases less than 10 minutes. To partially compensate for this, longer duration exposure measurements were simultaneously collected. The workers voluntarily completed a questionnaire to collect work history and personal information that could be related to lead exposure. Workers were also asked to participate in BLL testing; 13 of the 16 workers who completed a questionnaire also agreed to have a BLL test.

RESULTS

Table 6.1 summarizes the results of the airborne lead exposure assessment. The exposures were generally very low. Of 52 personal air samples collected, 44 percent (23) had no detectable lead. The highest exposures were during the power sanding (belt sander) of a painted wooden door (36 µg/m3), melting lead in an open ladle for a plumbing repair (26 µg/m3), removal of lead and oakum (a type of caulk) from a plumbing joint (13 µg/m3), and folding up and removing the plastic sheeting used to contain dust during carpentry work (8 µg/m3). Exposures were either "none detected" or "extremely low" for housekeepers performing tasks, such as emptying trash receptacles, sweeping floors, vacuuming carpets, and other typical housekeeping activities.

Lead was commonly present in the workplace evaluated. All of the paint samples collected from work surfaces had detectable amounts of lead (mean: 1.8%, range: 0.002 to 19%).

Consistent with the air sampling results, the BLLs were low among the janitorial and custodial workers tested (mean: 5.4, range: 2.8 to 10 µg/dL). These BLLs are typical for a U.S. urban adult population. The study participants' average length of employment at the university was 8.5 years (range: 10 months to 18.5 years) and their average age was 40 years (range: 28 to 56 years). The majority of the study participants had received (1) a preemployment physical and BLL test, (2) training about the hazards of lead, and (3) training in the proper use of a respirator. Nine of the 16 participants indicated that they occasionally wore a respirator while performing their job.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the results from this study, it would be reasonable to assume that routine janitorial tasks (such as sweeping, vacuuming, emptying trash receptacles, cleaning fixtures, and other related activities) in buildings with LBP generally do not produce hazardous occupational exposures to lead. Available surveillance data do not indicate that janitorial and custodial workers are at high risk for lead exposure.2

However, custodial tasks involving the handling or removal of lead-containing material, or custodial work associated with lead abatement projects could have a much greater potential for lead exposure. For example, previous studies have found that workers performing cleaning activities during abatement and renovation projects may have hazardous LBP exposures (see Chapter 4). In those situations, an initial lead exposure assessment for all job categories should be conducted by the employer.

Table 6.1 Lead Exposures for Janitorial and Custodial Activities

WORKER AIRBORNE EXPOSURES:
Task No.
Samples		 Sample
Times (min)		 Mean
(µg/m3)		 Range
(µg/m3)		 Comments
Housekeeping
4
263–449
0.11
0.02* – 0.34
 Dry sweeping tiled floors,
vacuuming carpets, wet mopping,
emptying trash receptacles,
dusting
Carpentry
14
6–379
5.9
0.04 – 36
 Doors, windows, and floors
Painting
7
9–76
0.2
0.1 – 0.5†
 Windows, exterior painted
columns, and a radiator
Plastering
6
11–63
0.3
0.2 – 0.6
 Removing and replacing of drywall
and plaster
General
maintenance
5
18–449
0.9
0.04 – 3.7
 Replacing and repairing fixtures
Automotive body
work
3
23–91
1.2
0.2 – 2.5
 Repairing body damage on painted
vehicle
WORKER BLLs:
No.
Workers		 Mean
(µg/dL)		 Range
(µg/dL)		 Comments
13
5.4
2.8 – 10
 Blood lead levels were within
normal range
SURFACE LEAD:
No.
Samples		 Mean
(% Pb)		 Range
(% Pb)		 Comments
16
1.8
0.002 – 19
 Painted surfaces, floors, and
carpets in work areas

ALL SAMPLES COLLECTED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

*Italics = none detected, ½ the respective minimum detectable concentration (MDC) was reported for statistical purposes.

†Bold = trace amount above the respective MDC detected; the MDC was reported for statistical purposes.

REFERENCES

  1. NIOSH [1995]. Hazard evaluation and technical assistance report: University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Report No. HETA 94–0374–2534.

  2. Brooks DR, Rabin R, Davis LK [1994]. Lead at work: elevated blood lead levels in Massachusetts workers. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Occupational Health Surveillance Program. November 1994.

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