Occupational Health & Safety

Existing legislation in Europe sets Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL) for lead in blood of employees in battery plants at 70 µg lead per dl blood (µg/dl). The EU Scientific and Social Committee for Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL) has proposed to decrease this limit to 30 µg/dl per exposed person and has also proposed a 0.1 mg/m3 OEL for sulphuric acid mist. Other limits also apply where SCOEL has made a recommendation.

EUROBAT is actively involved in industry efforts on lowering blood lead limits and our members are doing much more by taking the proactive initiative to voluntarily start activities to reduce their employee’s exposure. The Industry has developed guidelines to lower blood lead, known as “The EUROBAT Blood Lead Reduction Programme”. EUROBAT adopted this reduction programme in 2000. The basic levels of the Blood Lead Reduction Guidelines are a list of control measures that combine activities in the following areas:

• Technical controls and workplace procedures
• Personal hygiene
• Personal protective equipment
• Training

 

Industry experience shows that there is not a strong link between lead in blood and lead in the air. EUROBAT therefore considers all measures described in the guidelines as having equal priority.

EUROBAT believes that supporting the legislative bodies and adopting voluntary programmes demonstrate the benefits of achieving desired improvements that have traditionally been set as legally binding limits. The biggest benefit of all is for employees of EUROBAT member companies – improvement of their health.