Lead Poisoning - Children

The Ohio Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (OCLPPP) provides program funding, public and professional education, public health lead investigations, case management, data collection and analysis. The program addresses the needs of lead-poisoned children from birth through 72 months of age. The program assists family members, medical care providers and other community members to reduce and prevent lead poisoning. Greatest emphasis is placed upon children from birth through age 36 months.

This program is the flagship agency for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for childhood lead poisoning-prevention efforts in Ohio. The OCLPPP receives all blood lead laboratory reports on Ohio resident children. The OCLPPP uses these data to contribute to the national database on lead poisoning and to promote the national guidelines set forth by the CDC. By promoting CDC guidelines, national standards for lead poisoning prevention are being achieved.

Click here for more information about lead poisioning for children.

Lead Poisoning - Adults

Lead is known to have harmful effects on the heart, kidneys and the reproductive, nervous and hematological systems of the human body. In Ohio, laboratories and physicians are legally obligated to report th results of all blood lead tests conducted on persons who reside or work in the state to the Ohio Department of Health. These reports are required to include blood lead levels; patient information (sex, age, job title, etc.); and addresses and phone numbers of the patient, health care provider, and employer.

The Injury Prevention Unit’s Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program is charged with maintaining this data for all persons 16 years of age or older. Since it was established in 1995, through 2002, the registry has received the results of 118,721 blood lead tests. Persons who have at least one result of 40 or more micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood are identified for follow-up. An attempt is made to contact each of these people by phone or through the mail to conduct a survey that asks about their job duties and safety equipment used, possible exposures to lead and about their health. Included with the mailed surveys are pamphlets that provide an explanation of their rights, safety tips and guidelines for recognizing the health effects of lead.

If a place of employment where the lead exposure likely occurred is identified, registry staff attempts to assess the degree of exposure risk. A pamphlet is provided to the company to inform staff of their responsibilities regarding use of lead and explains methods for reducing associated exposures. If a hazardous situation is identified, this is made known to agencies charged with protecting workers.

Click here for more information about lead poisioning for adults.

Additional Information:

• Occupations at Risk for Potential Lead Exposures
   
• Effects of Lead Exposures

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Lead Poisoning - Abatement

The Ohio Department of Health Lead Poisoning Prevention Program ensures the public receives safe and proper lead abatement, detection and analytical services by requiring those services be conducted according to federal and state regulations, and by trained and licensed personnel. As of Oct. 1, 1998, the Lead Program was authorized by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to administer and enforce the lead licensure and approval program in Ohio. The program licenses lead risk assessors, lead abatement contractors, lead abatement workers, lead inspectors and lead abatement project designers. In addition, the Lead Program approves initial and refresher lead training courses including: lead abatement worker, lead inspector, lead risk assessor, lead abatement contractor and lead abatement project designer. The program approves abatement systems and products (encapsulants), clinical laboratories that analyze blood lead levels in humans and environmental lead analytical laboratories that analyze the amount of lead in the environment. 

As a reminder, all lead risk assessors, lead inspectors and clearance technicians are required to submit a monthly summary to the director of Health every month on a form prescribed by the director (the online form meets this requirement).

The Lead Program provides high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuums for loan to the general public through health and housing agencies. The program dispenses information and educational pamphlets about lead poisoning and its prevention upon request. The program conducts training sessions for lead professionals, training providers, landlords, tenants, real rstate agents, remodelers, licensed personnel, medical personnel and the general public.

Click here for more information about lead poisioning prevention.

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