A battery manufacturing worker is found to have blood lead level (BLL) of 55 µg/dL on routine surveillance. According to occupational health guidelines, the action level for mandatory removal from further lead exposure is a BLL of:

• A 40 µg/dL ✓
• B 10 µg/dL
• C 25 µg/dL
• D 70 µg/dL

Explanation

OSHA's Blood Lead Level standard and Indian occupational health guidelines specify: an action level (requiring medical surveillance) at BLL 25 µg/dL, and a removal criterion at BLL ≥40 µg/dL for return-to-work prohibition until BLL drops below 40 µg/dL. Medical treatment (chelation with DMSA or CaNa₂EDTA) is considered at BLL ≥45–70 µg/dL depending on symptoms. A BLL of 10 µg/dL is the CDC childhood threshold with no safe level established for children, but 40 µg/dL is the occupational removal criterion for adult workers.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.