The Department of Labour today expressed concern for the health of workers in certain South African industries, who may be exposed to hazardous chemicals, specifically lead in the course of their work.
Airborne lead fumes are easily inhaled if controls are not implemented in the work environment. Lead may also get into the bloodstream when workers eat or smoke without washing the hands properly.
Lead is well known to be harmful to humans, including effects such as reductions in IQ scores, kidney damage, high blood pressure, heart disease and lower rates of fertility in adults. Recent studies are also pointing to a link between lead and aggressive or violent behaviour.
Workers in industries involving battery manufacturing and recycling, mining, smelting and manufacturing of vehicle components, plastic manufacturing and painting were amongst those at particular risk of lead exposure and poisoning.
Lead can also still be found in industrial paints in South Africa. Preliminary studies undertaken by the Medical Research Council also point to subsistence fishermen (who melt lead to make fishing sinkers) and the staff of indoor rifle ranges as being at risk of very high blood lead levels.
“Very little information is available in South Africa on lead exposure in homes from which ‘home or informal industries’ (such as using lead solder to fix electrical appliances) are operated. This is a concern to us since in these settings families as well as communities not only workers may be exposed to hazardous lead,” said Mr Thobile Lamati, Deputy Director-General: Inspection and Enforcement Services from the Department of Labour
The national Department of Labour promulgated Lead Regulations in 2001. The Lead Regulations provide for measures to protect workers against lead exposure, occupational exposure limits, the use of protective equipment, worker training, medical surveillance programmes and maximum permissible blood lead levels.
Lamati said that emerging international evidence is monitored and South African regulations are being reviewed by a technical committee and will be amended if necessary, to ensure relevance and afford the highest levels of protection to workers against the health effects of lead.
In support of the global lead poisoning prevention campaign week from 19 to 26 October, the Department of Labour will host a workshop to share information with other government departments and stakeholders on 24 October.
The workshop will be held at the Protea Hotel, Van der Walt Street in Pretoria from 9h00 until 15h30 and the media is invited.
