HSE figures on lead poisoning surveillance

The HSE has revealed the latest figures on workers under medical surveillance for lead poisoning. The total number of workers under medical surveillance in 2006/07 rose to 8,697 from the 8,618 of 2005/06. Three industry sectors account for the majority of males working with lead, these being the lead battery industry (22.9%), smelting, refining, alloying and casting (18.0%) and work with metallic lead and lead containing alloys (9.6%).