The OSHA lead standard allows blood lead levels higher than what is currently recommended by CDC/NIOSH. national BLL geometric mean among adults was 1.2 μg/dL during 2009-2010. Over the past several decades there has been a remarkable reduction in environmental sources of lead, improved protection from occupational lead exposure, and an overall decreasing trend in the prevalence of elevated BLLs in U.S. There is no identified threshold or safe level of lead in blood. It is not necessary for the clinician to duplicate those efforts, but he/she should verify that the screening was performed elsewhere before testing is deferred during the office visit.Įvidence continues to accrue that commonly encountered blood lead concentrations, even those below 5 μg/dL (50 ppb), impair cognition. Some communities may provide screening outside of the child’s medical home (such as through the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program). Screen neonates and infants born to women with lead exposure during pregnancy and lactation per earlier CDC guidance.Screen children coming from other countries when they arrive in the United States, and.Follow local and state lead screening guidelines,.The Advisory Committee On Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention recommends that health care providers: Despite progress in reducing BLLs among children overall, differences between the geometric mean (GM) BLLs of different racial/ethnic and income groups still persist.īased on the prevalence of elevated BLLs, local health departments or other relevant agencies may implement different testing guidelines, such as screening more frequently or at different ages.

Findings from the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007 – 2010, indicate that BLLs are continuing to decrease across all age and racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Over the past 40 years, there has been a dramatic decline in the United States in BLLs. In 1991, CDC recommended universal blood lead level (BLL) testing for all children, in the absence of a statewide or local plan. Oftentimes, recognition of lead exposure doesn’t occur until the initial reporting of high blood lead levels (BLLs) by primary care providers. If lead exposure is suspected, a blood lead level (BLL) test should be performed.

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