Paraoccupational exposures to lead and tin carried by electric-cable splicers

To test the hypothesis that electric-cable splicers contaminate their homes with lead and tin, nine splicers were matched with nine of their neighbors. House dust samples were collected in two areas within each home: a laundry room/dirty clothes area, and a composite sample from other areas in the house. Samples were analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence for lead and tin (tin is a tracer to the occupational source of lead). The difference in the geometric mean lead concentrations in the laundry areas between the splicers' and neighbors' homes (1021 ppm and 390 ppm) was statistically significant (p < 0.025). The difference in concentrations from the other areas of the house (585 ppm and 329 ppm) was also significant (p < 0.05). Tin concentrations in house dust were very different between the two groups (p < 0.0005), suggesting that electric-cable splicers were contaminating their homes with lead and tin from work. Recommendations are included to prevent paraoccupational lead exposures by eliminating the pathways into the home. Another recommendation suggests that blood-lead levels be screened in children under the age of seven who live with electric-cable splicers.