Lead Exposure Among Children of Employees Exposed at Work in Two Companies in the Loiret Department (45): Evaluation of Prevention and Control Measures
In 1996, a study of 125 children of workers occupationally exposed to lead at two factories in the Loiret department revealed that these children had been secondarily exposed through their parents. Occupational health services and factory management subsequently strengthened preventive measures regarding lead exposure, both at the collective and individual levels. Annual monitoring of blood lead levels in children exposed to lead through occupational exposure was recommended. In 2001, an assessment of the impact of the measures taken on lead exposure among employees’ children was conducted using data from this monitoring. The study population consisted of children aged 6 months to 6 years with at least one parent who had been working in one of the two factories for more than 6 months. During the annual preventive medical visit, parents completed two questionnaires: one for each affected child and one for each parent with occupational exposure. Blood lead level results were obtained from the prescribing physicians. Among the 99 children in the study, only 11 had previously been screened, and of those, 2 had undergone annual blood lead level monitoring. For children who had not been screened, the fact that this test had not been offered by the primary care physician was the reason cited by parents in 85% of cases. In 2001, blood lead level results for 34 children were obtained, and the average blood lead level was 66.4 μg/L. A comparison with the results of the previous study shows that the average blood lead level in children did not differ significantly between 1996 and 2001. The proportion of children with blood lead levels above 100 μg/L is comparable (19.2%–20.6%). The limited participation rate and variations in worker exposure due to a specific socioeconomic context made it difficult to identify risk factors associated with occupational exposure. Nevertheless, a link was found between children’s blood lead levels and those of parents exposed in the workplace. These results highlight the need to strengthen individual and collective preventive measures aimed at reducing the risk of worker contamination in order to prevent secondary contamination of children. Efforts to raise awareness among parents and healthcare professionals regarding the importance of health monitoring for children exposed to para-occupational lead must be continued and accompanied by a discussion on the financial coverage of blood lead level testing.
Author(s): Servas V, Riviere D, Ledrans M, Legrand D, Senemaud B, Maurin G, Monredon F, Precausta D, Albouy J
Publishing year: 2003
Pages: 62 p.
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