Full Medical Surveillance

Employers must provide full medical surveillance to any employee who is exposed to lead above the action level for more than 30 days per year, or to any employee whose initial blood tests reveal a blood lead level of 40 micrograms per deciliter or more.

Full medical surveillance includes the same blood tests that are a part of initial monitoring, but at a higher frequency. These tests must be provided at least every two months for as long as the worker's blood lead level exceeds 40 micrograms per deciliter. This continues until two tests in a row show levels lower than 40 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood.

Full medical surveillance also includes a medical examination. The examinations must include a detailed work and medical history, a physical, blood pressure measurements, and lab tests to check blood chemistry and kidney function. A worker may also request a fertility test. If the worker must wear a respirator, the physician must also administer tests to judge whether the worker is physically capable of using one.

If a worker is dissatisfied with a medical examination provided by a physician that his or her employer chose, the worker may choose another physician to provide a second opinion. The two doctors must then attempt to resolve any disputes.

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