lead poisoning.....

F

fubsy

New member
Hi gang,
Ive a good friend who has been experiencing problems for sometime, and after going through the checks at the mayo clinic and coming up empty almost on a whim he and his doctor worked up a blood test for lead poisoning......my friend came back very high, he was 15 on the scale..........Im only bringing this up so that those of us who do shoot indoors and have been shooting for quite some time need to consider having blood tests done specifically for lead poisoning, it can be deadly. My understanding is that it effects the nervous system, and the bodily organs...there are most likely doctors here who are more knowledgable than I am and will leave that to them. My friend is in his late fortys and has been shooting from an early age, and is quite an avid shooter, he's been shooting once a week at an indoor range and once a week at a rifle range for years....and was a competitive shooter within leo community in fla......so he has shot more than most, but it wont hurt any of us to start a medical file keeping track from year to year....the way I understand it this lead poisoning takes forever to clear your system..fubsy.
 
The lead content was getting too high in my blood once and I had to stay off the range for a while until it dropped. But I still believe the saying, heavy metals are your friends.

A lot of the lead in the bloodstream ingested. I try to have my shooters wash their hands and if possible, their face after they shoot. As a safety precaution, I also do not permit them to eat, drink, smoke, chew gum on the range until they've washed up (but be careful to avoid heat stroke or dehydration). This handles most of the battle. Other points are to shower off that same day, wipe off the soles of shoes prior to entering into the house to free it of lead dust (why endanger any rug rat?) and wash the clothes.

------------------
Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
 
I too think that most of the lead in the system is either ingested or inhaled.
Both can occur shooting inside.
At the indoor range I go to there is a regular who wears a paper dust mask while shooting.
I'm not really sure if that is fine enough to prevent Pb particle inhalation, I think one might need a HEPA mask. Anyone know for sure?

Also, if you cast your own bullets you MUST have proper ventilation.
Everything evaporates quicker when heated.
Just look at the steam from your coffee.
Melting lead will certainly release Pb vapor into the air.
No mask/respirator will block out Pb vapor, unless it has some kind of chemical binding compound in the filter.
You're not going to find those at Ace Hdwr.

Although the skin absorbtion is pretty small, always wash up after shooting or handling bullets, ammo, or spent cases.
What's on your hands will make it to your mouth, and that method of exposure is quite effective.

I wonder if you can get a Pb test at a routine physical, or if you have to be symptomatic before the insurance co. will pay for it?

-Kframe

[This message has been edited by Kframe (edited April 01, 2000).]
 
I have been casting bullets for better than 40 years. Shooting them too. Most of my early years, I cast in an unventilated garage. I worked for a commercial bullet maker (cast bullets) and the work area was also poorly ventilated. It was not until a few years ago thet I became concerned about the possibility of lead poisoning. At my last physical, I approached my doctor about including a blood test for lead poisoning, and he agreed. I haven't heard any squawk from my insurance company, and my test came out OK. One worry gone. Funny thing. back then I smoked, drank and sometimes ate while casting. I consider myself very fortunate that my ignorance didn't cause me greater harm.
Now, if I'd only known about hearing protection. But that's something else, isn't it?
Paul B.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top