TABLE OF CONTENTS Lead-containing chemicals have been recognized as poisons for a long time. However, metallic lead and its alloys have been used for generations without much concern. Pewter (a lead-containing alloy) artifacts have even been employed for food vessels and drink goblets in addition to decorative objects.
Health concerns are relatively recent, and they came with the realization that very small amounts of lead have a profound effect on the human body. The first serious concern started with the lead-containing pigments used in paint, and that industry has voluntarily switched to lead-free paint. However, the paint problem did not go away, as numerous homes still have lead-containing paint on their walls, even though it is now covered with lead-free paint. Costly legislation will make this a serious problem for the foreseeable future.
In the late 1970s, the author was retained by OSHA to work on "lead legislation." A number of experts were involved, and each covered a particular specialty. The areas of concern were diverse, including lead mining, lead smelting, solder manufacturing, solder usage, storage batteries, type metal, and so on. The effort resulted in proposed legislation, which successfully passed a congressional hearing. By the time it reached the White House in 1980, however, President Ronald Reagan decided that there were already too many laws on the books and scrapped it. The safety measures outlined in this ill-fated regulation are outlined in Sec. 3.32 below. Since then, no comprehensive lead legislation has been...
