OSHA Lead in Construction Advisor

Obligation to Make Initial Determination

If your workplace or operation is covered by the Lead in Construction Standard, you must make an initial determination concerning whether any employee may be exposed to lead at or above the action level.

You must determine employee exposure levels based on full-shift, personal air monitoring samples.

Each full-shift personal sample you collect must be representative of the regular daily exposure pattern of the employee being monitored.

The Lead in Construction Standard defines employee exposure as that exposure that would occur if the employee were not wearing a respirator. You are not permitted to adjust air monitoring data to account for the protection provided by respirators when determining whether employees are exposed to airborne lead.