Chelation

Chelation is the use of certain drugs to remove lead from the bloodstream. It is very effective in treating severe lead poisoning, but it can also have harmful side effects. In the past, some employers abused chelation drugs by giving them to their employees routinely. This lowered the employees' blood levels enough for the employers to avoid taking more costly measures to protect the employees. However, the long-term effects of routine chelation create health problems of their own.

For this reason, 8 CCR 1532.1 allows for chelation therapy only under strict medical monitoring, and only for the diagnosis and treatment of severe lead poisoning. If a physician believes a worker needs chelation therapy, the physician must notify the worker so that he or she can get a second opinion, if desired.

To learn more about Construction Lead Exposure visit our Cal/OSHA Construction Lead Exposure Online Training web page.