FDA Warns of Inaccurate Results from Certain Lead Tests

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued a warning that certain lead tests manufactured by Magellan Diagnostics may provide inaccurate results, which could affect compliance with OSHA’s workplace health standards for lead.
Employers and healthcare providers conducting medical surveillance for lead-exposed workers should refer to the FDA’s warning and recommendations for retesting.
OSHA’s Lead Standards for General Industry and Construction require employers to provide blood lead testing for workers exposed to airborne lead above a specific level.
Employees with very high blood lead levels must be removed from exposure.
Employers are required to have blood lead samples analyzed by a laboratory that meets OSHA accuracy requirements in blood lead proficiency testing.