Lead: Battery Manufacturing » Scope

This eTool is designed to assist the lead-acid battery manufacturing industry in identifying potential engineering and work practice controls to reduce employee lead exposure. It is the employer's responsibility to evaluate the sources of exposure and the controls necessary for their particular operation in order to reduce employee lead exposure to the lowest feasible level [29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(1)]. The sources of exposure can be identified through task analysis sampling or through video exposure monitoring.

The engineering and work practice controls listed in this eTool are intended as guides for design purposes and apply to typical operations in battery manufacturing plants. Many of the controls have been shown to reduce employee lead exposure and are provided to assist employers and employees in complying with the OSHA Lead Standard. Not every control presented will be applicable to all battery manufacturing plants without modifications because of special conditions such as work place constraints, cross-drafts, motion, differences in temperature, differences in process operations or use of other means of contaminant suppression. Additionally, other controls not presented in this eTool may exist, which may be applicable to a particular plant.

It is the employer's responsibility to acquire industrial hygiene and ventilation expertise to evaluate sources of employee exposure, and to design, install, operate and maintain exhaust ventilation systems according to recognized industrial hygiene practices. These practices can be found in publications such as the American Industrial Hygiene Association and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.

Respiratory protection and medical surveillance are not addressed in this eTool, but are required for: compliance with the Lead Standard, controlling lead exposure levels, and preventing lead-related disease. Please refer to the following for more information: