Probe into high lead blood levels
Source: Xinhua |
July 7, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A TAIWANESE-FUNDED battery plant in Jiangsu Province is being probed after its employees were found to have excessive levels of lead in their blood.
More than 70 employees, or one-third of the workforce at Changzhou Ricun Battery Technology Co, Ltd, have been found with extremely high levels of lead in their blood, according to sources close to the employees.
Medical tests showed the employees typically had lead levels between 280 and 480 micrograms per liter of blood. "Normal" levels are below 100 micrograms of lead per liter of blood, according to national diagnostic standards.
Excessive amounts of lead in the blood harm the nervous and reproductive systems and can cause high blood pressure and anemia. In severe cases, it can lead to convulsions, comas and death.
The poisoning cases were exposed after a pregnant employee named Zhang Xiaoyu fainted during her shift near the end of last month. She went to a local hospital, where she was found to have nearly double the normal amount of lead in her blood.
"The doctor told me I was poisoned by lead, and that my baby must be aborted," Zhang said.
Another employee, Meng Chunbao, believes the factory's managers may have known about the problem but were trying to cover it up.
Meng said he spoke to a deputy general manager after finding out his own blood contained a high level of lead. During the meeting, the manager gave him 1,000 yuan (US$154) and asked him to keep the issue under wraps.
Meng told his colleagues about his blood test results, which ultimately lead to the exposure of the widespread poisoning. Company employees have said that although the company arranges medical tests every year for them, their medical reports are never given to them.
An investigation led by the management board of Xinbei Industrial Park, where the plant is located, has started.
The management board has sealed up the company's raw materials and semi-finished products and ordered the company to suspend production until further notice.
It has also told the company to arrange medical tests for its employees and compensate those with excessive levels of blood lead.
More than 70 employees, or one-third of the workforce at Changzhou Ricun Battery Technology Co, Ltd, have been found with extremely high levels of lead in their blood, according to sources close to the employees.
Medical tests showed the employees typically had lead levels between 280 and 480 micrograms per liter of blood. "Normal" levels are below 100 micrograms of lead per liter of blood, according to national diagnostic standards.
Excessive amounts of lead in the blood harm the nervous and reproductive systems and can cause high blood pressure and anemia. In severe cases, it can lead to convulsions, comas and death.
The poisoning cases were exposed after a pregnant employee named Zhang Xiaoyu fainted during her shift near the end of last month. She went to a local hospital, where she was found to have nearly double the normal amount of lead in her blood.
"The doctor told me I was poisoned by lead, and that my baby must be aborted," Zhang said.
Another employee, Meng Chunbao, believes the factory's managers may have known about the problem but were trying to cover it up.
Meng said he spoke to a deputy general manager after finding out his own blood contained a high level of lead. During the meeting, the manager gave him 1,000 yuan (US$154) and asked him to keep the issue under wraps.
Meng told his colleagues about his blood test results, which ultimately lead to the exposure of the widespread poisoning. Company employees have said that although the company arranges medical tests every year for them, their medical reports are never given to them.
An investigation led by the management board of Xinbei Industrial Park, where the plant is located, has started.
The management board has sealed up the company's raw materials and semi-finished products and ordered the company to suspend production until further notice.
It has also told the company to arrange medical tests for its employees and compensate those with excessive levels of blood lead.
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