My daddy worked at Ethyl Corp. from 1940 until around 1978. From 1940 until about 1965 he worked in the lead area where they made Tetraethyllead. Wonder how much lead he had in his body by the time I was born in 1952

Increase the ventilation in your reloading room. Do casting outside, if possible. Dust mask. Consider a HEPA air filter in your reloading room when loading and especially when cleaning. Gloves and lots of hand washing. I wash my hands in cold water before washing them again in warm. I tell myself it keeps my pores closed until I get the lead off

I'm glad you're taking this seriously.

Luck,

Bruce

quote:

Originally posted by Rolan_Kraps:
When I had my 6 month checkup and diabetic blood drawn in November, I had them screen my lead level. It was 18. Should be less than 5! At 19 they have to start treatment. I'm taking 1,000 MG of Vitamin C every day. That helps flush it from your system.

So I've been more careful cleaning and reloading. Wearing gloves and immediately washing up with D-Lead hand cleaner. Let me tell you. It is hard to reload .38 special on a Dillon 650 with gloves on!

I get it checked again in the middle of January.

The max level was recently lowered from 10 to 5. I believe OSHA requires range workers to be tested regularly. We support the NRA Range in Fairfax and the testing is done semi-annual. The exhaust system weekly visits are done with special Tyvek suits and pressurized HEPA filtered full face masks ( PAPR ). The range exhaust air is actually HEPA filtered. No environment issues there. As mentioned, most lead is ingested and inhaled. The D-lead products are a must.
Attention to the contamination possibilities is the correct strategy. Best wishes to a rapid recovery.

Thanks Guys.

I don't cast my own bullets. I seldom handle targets due to having 2 hernias that haven't been fixed. I also seldom shoot inside. Probably haven't been to an indoor range in 2 years.

So I am pretty sure my exposure is eating lunch at the range without cleaning properly, cleaning guns and reloading.

When I got the D-Lead I also picked up D-Lead wipes that I can keep in my gun cart.

Ventilation and Dust in your work area? Have you been working in the same reloading area for a while? How would you even vacuum / clean that?

Maybe opening the bullets etc. outside to reduce the initial exposure and potential residue?

^^ Yup

when I was an instructor, we were very high(blood levels of PB). I got banned from training for a year. I found it had a lot to do with eating and drinking while at the range. As an Instructor I never took a break and just ate on the line...

Also, our shop was contaminated. We found that wiping down the compartment from top to bottom with a new towel after each wipe, removed almost 90% of the lead the inspectors found.

And they forbid us to eat at our desks (in the same compartment)

my number came down w/o any kinda special stuff. although IIRC spinach and kale are high in something that attaches to the lead and helps cheleate it out of you

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MikeinNC,

Thanks for the reminder and glad you caught this. I shoot at indoor range with my kids and we wipe / wash hands and forearms. Will double up on cleaning and handling - probably easier to contaminate than I thought. Honestly never gave this too much consideration but now... great reminder.

Eat leafy greens, drink milk to help flush it from your system.

Lead does not get into our bodies from our pores.

A dust mask is not enough. Where a respirator designed for air filtration that covers lead.

When washing your hands. Use a scrubbing soap, pumice type. Put the soap in your hands and scrub without using water. Turn on the water and continue scrubbing and rinse. Then, wash your hands again. Each time for at least 30 seconds. Sing Row, row, row your boat each time and it is about 30 seconds.

Be sure you eat before working with lead. If you ingest some on a full stomach, your body will pass it more easily verses absorbing it on an empty stomach.

Don't smoke, use chewing tobacco, eat, or have open drinks while around lead. Definitely do not store any of these items where lead is present.

I work for a battery manufacture and this is part of our annual training. My blood lead was as high as 28 at one time. OSHA isn't too concerned until you are around 32 so y'all are still good! Lol!

quote:

Originally posted by RNshooter:
Increase the ventilation in your reloading room.

Other than perhaps shaving a bit of lead when seating un-jacketed/-plated/-powder-coated bullets: Where would the lead come from in reloading? Particularly airborne lead?

quote:

Originally posted by RNshooter:
Do casting outside, if possible.

Again: The melting point of lead is about 620°F. Boiling point is considerably higher--in the vicinity 3160°F. (Ref: Material Safety Data Sheet - Lead MSDS, Section 9.

As I read it: Lead fumes are a non-existent threat at the temperatures at which hand-casting is done.

quote:

Originally posted by RNshooter:
Dust mask. Consider a HEPA air filter in your reloading room when loading and especially when cleaning. Gloves and lots of hand washing. I wash my hands in cold water before washing them again in warm. I tell myself it keeps my pores closed until I get the lead off

(Emphasis added.)
The cleaning part is probably the biggest threat, particularly when dumping the brass to separate it from the media. Probably best done outside, with you upwind and wearing a mask and gloves.

Reloading cast bullets is probably the next biggest threat in the reloading room. I don't perceive of much threat of airborne contamination, but the hand-washing regimen strikes me as prudent. (I do the same: Thorough rinse with cool water, followed by hot, soapy water, when having exposed bare skin to toxic contaminants.)

Learned that one complements of the U.S. Army. They warned us, after being exposed to CS gas, to carefully rinse off in the shower with cool water, first. Those who did not follow those instructions got to find out why.