# Lead — OSHA medical surveillance trigger thresholds by substance

For Lead, cfr section is 1910.1025; action level is an airborne concentration of lead of 30 micrograms per cubic meter of air (30 µg/m3) averaged over an 8-hour period; pel is fifty micrograms per cubic meter of air (50 µg/m3) averaged over an 8-hour period; surveillance trigger is all employees who are or may be exposed at or above the action level for more than 30 days per year; exam frequency is at least every 6 months (biological monitoring); at least annually for each employee for whom a blood lead level at any time during the preceding 12 months indicated at or above 40 µg/100 g, recorded from its source on 2026-08-12.

- **Substance:** Lead _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **CFR section:** 1910.1025 _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Action level:** an airborne concentration of lead of 30 micrograms per cubic meter of air (30 µg/m3) averaged over an 8-hour period
- **PEL:** fifty micrograms per cubic meter of air (50 µg/m3) averaged over an 8-hour period
- **Surveillance trigger:** all employees who are or may be exposed at or above the action level for more than 30 days per year
- **Exam frequency:** at least every 6 months (biological monitoring); at least annually for each employee for whom a blood lead level at any time during the preceding 12 months indicated at or above 40 µg/100 g
- **Record retention:** at least 40 years, or for the duration of employment plus 20 years, whichever is longer _(verified: appears in the quote below)_

## What the source says

> (iv) The employer shall maintain or assure that the physician maintains those medical records for at least 40 years, or for the duration of employment plus 20 years, whichever is longer. (3) Medical removals. (i) The employer shall establish and maintain an accurate record for each employee removed from current exposure to lead pursuant to paragraph (k) of this section . (ii) Each record shall include: (A) The name of the employee ; (B) The date on each occasion that the employee was removed from current exposure to lead as <https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/index.php?width=840&height=800&iframe=true&def_id=9a247d3e15cf2da7828b85ab1fc149e2&term_occur=999&term_src=Title:29:Subtitle:B:Chapter:XVII:Part:1910:1910.1025> well as the corresponding date on which the employee was returned to his or her former job status;

## Source

- https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/29/1910.1025

Last verified: 2026-08-12. Review by: 2027-02-08.
Part of [OSHA medical surveillance trigger thresholds by substance](https://referencesource.org/osha-medical-surveillance-triggers/).