Exposure to Lead

5,094

Lead workers under medical surveillance in Great Britain, 2023/24

11

Lead workers suspended from work due to excess blood-lead levels, 2023/24

In 2023/24

  • 4,799 (94%) of the workers under surveillance were male and 295 (6%) female.
  • Two young males (under 18 years old) were under medical surveillance.
  • The paint removal sector accounted for the highest number of males under medical surveillance during the three-year period 2021/22-2023/24.
  • Work in other lead processes accounted for the highest number of females under medical surveillance during the three-year period 2021/22-2023/24.
  • 30 male workers had a blood-lead level at or above 50µg/100ml recorded.
  • Five female workers had a blood-lead level at or above 25µg/100ml recorded.
  • 11 lead workers were suspended from work, eight of which were male.

Full report on exposure to lead

Exposure to Lead in Great Britain, 2024 (PDF) [26]

Full report on historical trends of exposure to lead

Medical Surveillance of Blood-Lead Levels, 1992/93 – 2009/10 (PDF) [27] (available via the National Archives)

More information on lead exposure

Link URLs in this page

  1. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/index.htm
  2. Statistics A - Zhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/a-z.htm
  3. Index of data tableshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/tables/index.htm
  4. Ill healthhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/index.htm
  5. Overview - COVID-19https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/coronavirus/index.htm
  6. Management informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/coronavirus/management-information.htm
  7. Overview - Fatal injurieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm
  8. Latest quarterly fatal injury figureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatalquarterly.htm
  9. Overview - Non-fatal injuryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causinj/index.htm
  10. Violence at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causinj/violence/index.htm
  11. Costs to Britainhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/cost.htm
  12. Industrieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/index.htm
  13. Countries and regions of Britainhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/regions/index.htm
  14. Comparisons with other countrieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/european/index.htm
  15. Historical picturehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/history/index.htm
  16. Overview - About HSE Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/about.htm
  17. Data sourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/sources.htm
  18. Overview - National statistics policieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/about/index.htm
  19. Revisionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/about/revisions/index.htm
  20. Confidentiality policyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/about/confidentiality.htm
  21. Overview - User engagementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/about/engagement/index.htm
  22. Reports from previous user consultationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/about/engagement/previous-consultations.htm
  23. Quality guidelineshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/about/quality-guidelines.htm
  24. Statement of administrative sourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/about/administrative-sources.htm
  25. Research and ad hoc analysishttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/resources.htm
  26. Exposure to Lead in Great Britain, 2024https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/assets/docs/exposure-to-lead.pdf
  27. Medical Surveillance of Blood-Lead Levels, 1992/93 – 2009/10https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20240605181838/https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/assets/docs/blood-lead-trend-report.pdf
  28. Data sourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/sources.htm
  29. Index of lead exposure tableshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/tables/index.htm#lead

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Updated 2025-04-10