Q&A - blood testing required for plumbers?
Q. One of our employees says that we should be sending him for a three-monthly blood test because he is a plumber. He says that friends in the same trade have these tests organised by their employer. Is this likely to be true?
A. This comment has arisen because of the rules which apply when staff are exposed to lead. But if their job does not involve work with lead products, medical surveillance for lead exposure will not be needed.
Those who are likely to have a significant exposure to lead, i.e. handling it every day, should be placed under medical surveillance. Blood test frequency varies according to past exposure. The highest frequency required is three-monthly and this applies where the employee’s blood results show an existing high level of the substance.
Tip. If you think that your staff might have significant exposure to lead, contact an occupational health provider.
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