OBJECTIVETo understand the blood lead level and its influencing factors of workers in one lead acid storage cell enterprise in Jiangsu Province.

METHODSAn occupational health field investigation was done to this storage cell enterprise at the end of June 2011 to measure the air lead fume (dust) concentration of workplaces. Health-care information of 1364 person-times from 2009 - 2011 was collected, including blood lead level, general state of health, life and health habit. One way ANOVA and ordinal multi-categorical logistic stepwise regression were used to analysis the influencing factors of blood lead level.

RESULTSThe lead fume concentration range was 0.008-0.354 mg/m(3) among 12 measuring points, which 7 places were unqualified, while the concentration range of lead dust was 0.023 - 2.432 mg/m(3), 24 out of 27 measuring places were unqualified, both the qualified rate were low. The blood lead concentration of objects was (259.54 ± 106.62) µg/L, among which 96 people (7.04%) who ≥ 400 µg/L should be identified as suspected "observation object", blood lead concentration ≥ 600 µg/L was not found. The blood lead concentration of male (279.76 ± 114.93 µg/L) was significantly higher than female (242.44 ± 95.86) µg/L (t = 6.441, P < 0.01). The proportion of ≥ 400 µg/L in male (11.04%, 69/625) was significantly higher than female (3.65%, 27/739) (χ(2) = 28.237, P < 0.01). The blood lead concentration of workers who exposed to lead fume or dust (265.93 ± 103.70) µg/L was significantly higher than those of not exposed to lead (205.30 ± 115.62) µg/L (t = -6.037, P < 0.01), the blood lead concentration of workers who exposed to lead dust was (267.38 ± 98.02) µg/L significantly higher than those of exposed to lead fume (260.81 ± 121.80) µg/L (t = -2.408, P < 0.05). The proportion of ≥ 400 µg/L in workers who exposed to lead fume (dust) (7.60%, 93/1223) was significantly higher than those of not exposed to lead (2.13%, 3/141) (χ(2) = 4.538, P < 0.05). Ordinal multi-categorical logistic stepwise regression found that the lead fume concentration ≥ 0.03 mg/m(3), lead dust concentration ≥ 0.05 mg/m(3) (OR = 1.59, 95%CI: 1.06 - 2.39), length of service ≥ 3 years (OR = 1.82, 95%CI: 1.12 - 2.98), smoking (OR = 2.06, 95%CI: 1.27 - 3.37) can increase the level of blood lead concentration.

CONCLUSIONSLead dust concentration of the enterprise exceeded the standard. Workers exposed to lead fume (dust) have more occupational health hazard of lead, of whom the blood lead concentration was high. Higher lead fume (dust) concentration in workplace, longer length of service, smoking were risk factors of high blood lead concentration.