NIOSH Evaluates Lead Exposures to Telecommunications Workers 

A new health hazard evaluation (HHE) report available from the NIOSH website describes the agency’s findings and recommendations related to lead exposures to workers repairing, installing, and conducting maintenance on telecommunications cables. NIOSH personnel collected air, surface, bulk, and hand wipe samples, surveyed workers, reviewed records of blood lead levels (BLLs), and observed workers in manholes, trenches, and other settings.

The HHE report explains that lead sheath was used to protect telecommunications cables from the late 1800s until the mid-1900s, when the industry switched to plastic-sheathed cables. According to the report, “an unknown number of lead-sheathed telecommunications cables continue to be actively used or remain abandoned in place after being replaced by plastic-sheathed cables.” The workers’ union was concerned about potential occupational exposures to lead, particularly for workers based in three specific garage facilities, and invited NIOSH to evaluate them.

The garages employed 117 workers. Seventy percent were splice service technicians (SSTs), who specialize in cable splicing. The remaining workers were outside plant technicians (OPTs), who work on telecommunications infrastructure located outside of buildings and whose tasks include digging trenches and entering manholes to install or connect cables and wires.

In its evaluations, NIOSH focused on exposures to workers who entered manholes “due to the smaller space and potential concentration of lead-sheathed cables in these environments that workers may encounter or disturb.” Agency personnel collected four personal air samples, one of which, from an SST, was over the OSHA action level for lead of 30 µg/m3. Analysis of nine handwipe samples confirmed the presence of lead even for those who had washed their hands prior to sampling. Lead was found in vehicles, on equipment and tools, and in some common areas of the garages. Seven of 42 BLL test results provided by the union, and 11 of 120 results provided by management, had lead concentrations of at least 5 µg/dL, which is the NIOSH blood lead reference level for adults. NIOSH also observed that some employees wore KN95 masks instead of N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) and that others did not know when it was necessary to wear personal protective equipment.

The agency recommended that the employer follow the requirements of the OSHA lead standard after obtaining air sampling results above the action level, which include additional exposure monitoring, engineering and administrative controls, medical surveillance, and annual training on lead hazards. Other recommendations included identifying, where possible, the presence of lead-sheathed cables before workers enter manholes and providing training on work practices that help prevent exposure to lead in air, on how to recognize when PPE is required, and on the appropriate use of N95 FFRs.

For a full discussion of the agency’s recommendations, download the HHE report from the NIOSH website (PDF).