June 2013

Continuous Improvement in Employee Blood Lead Reduction

18th International Lead ConferencePrague, 19-21 June 2013

Troy A. Greiss MS, CIH, CSPEast Penn Manufacturing Company, Inc.

This is confidential information and is not to be duplicated,published or shared in any form without the permission of

East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.3

East Penn Manufacturing CampusLyon Station, Pennsylvania

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.4

Overview

Applications Of Industrial Hygiene Principles

Routes of Entry

Hierarchy of Controls

Engineering

Administrative

Personal Protective Equipment

Lead Exposed Population Trends

Legacy Issues

Closing Remarks

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.5

Routes of Entry

Inhalation- Involves airborne contaminants that can be inhaled directly into the lungs.- Particularly important because of the rapid nature the toxic

material being absorbed in the lungs and pass into the blood stream.

- Influence of particle size

Ingestion- Pathway, employees unknowingly eat or drink harmful chemicals.- Toxic materials can be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood stream. - Inhaled toxic dusts can also be ingested.

It is important to know the route of entry when evaluating the workenvironment.

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.6

Hierarchy of Control

Engineering Controls

Administrative Controls

Personal Protective Equipment

Employee Consults and Audits

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.7

Engineering Controls

Engineer out the Hazard by design specification

Apply methods using isolation, enclosure or local exhaust

Engineering should be the first control strategy

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.8

Engineering Controls

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.9

Administrative Controls

Reduce exposure by adjusting work regime; job share, job rotation

Housekeeping

Employee trainingWork PracticesHygiene Practices

Incentives

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.10

Housekeeping

Wet Floor Scrubbers

Vacuum Systems

Wet Down Techniques

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.11

Work Practices

Minimize dust generation– Place don’t throw– Place don’t drop– Clean up accumulated dust

Work close to local exhaust ventilation

Keep ventilation free from obstruction

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.12

Personal Hygiene Practices

No eating, drinking and smoking in the Workplace

Hand/Arm/Face Washing and Shower

Removal of Personal Protective Equipment (Gloves, Uniforms)

Hand to Mouth Contact (biting finger nails)

Once Clean – Stay Clean

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.13

Personal Protective Equipment

Application, Selection and Use

Proper Fit

Donning/Doffing

Storage

Cleaning

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.14

Employee Consults and Audits

Employee Training: Healthy Hygiene Habits

Blood Lead Consult Checklist and Action Plan

Lead Check (Hand/Nail) Procedure

New EmployeeOrientationCoachingIncreased Sample Frequency

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.15

Healthy Hygiene Habits

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.16

Blood Lead Consult Checklist

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.17

Lead Check (Hand/Nail) Procedure

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.18

Historical Blood Lead Trends

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.19

Legacy Employees

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East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc.20

Closing Remarks

• Local Exhaust ventilation and Engineering Controls are essential elements in the first phase of employee exposure control and reducing employee blood leads

• Administrative Controls through Enhanced Personal Hygiene/Work Practices coupled with Individual Employee Consults produced a 3 ug/dl reduction in the average Blood Lead within 1 Year

• Continue with Employee engagement efforts and supplement with PPE to foster a further individual employee Blood Lead reduction strategy, case-by-case basis.

Thank you

for Your Attention!