1910.1025(e)(1): Engineering and Work Practice Controls for Lead
When any employee is exposed to lead above the permissible exposure limit for more than 30 days per year, employers must use engineering and work practice controls unless shown not feasible, and add respirators if controls fall short. For 30 days or less per year, engineering controls must reduce exposure to 200 µg/m3, then any mix of controls may bring it to or below 50 µg/m3.
Key takeaways
- 1910.1025(e)(1) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910).
- OSHA cited it 30 times in the last 3 years, in 30 inspections, with $42,750 in current penalties.
- Most citations: TN (4), PA (3), NJ (2).
- Related part: 1910.1025(e) Methods of compliance (96 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(1) ("Engineering and work practice controls") is one requirement inside 1910.1025 Lead, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910). It includes 2 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(1) Engineering and work practice controls. 30 citations
(i) Where any employee is exposed to lead above the permissible exposure limit for more than 30 days per year, the employer shall implement engineering and work practice controls (including administrative controls) to reduce and maintain employee exposure to lead in accordance with the implementation schedule in Table I below, except to the extent that the employer can demonstrate that such controls are not feasible. Wherever the engineering and work practice controls which can be instituted are not sufficient to reduce employee exposure to or below the permissible exposure limit, the employer shall nonetheless use them to reduce exposures to the lowest feasible level and shall supplement them by the use of respiratory protection which complies with the requirements of paragraph (f) of this section. Open (e)(1)(i) 28 citations
(ii) Where any employee is exposed to lead above the permissible exposure limit, but for 30 days or less per year, the employer shall implement engineering controls to reduce exposures to 200 µg/m3, but thereafter may implement any combination of engineering, work practice (including administrative controls), and respiratory controls to reduce and maintain employee exposure to lead to or below 50 µg/m3. 2 citations
| Industry | Compliance dates: 1 (50 µg/m 3) |
|---|---|
| Lead chemicals, secondary copper smelting | July 19, 1996. |
| Nonferrous foundries | July 19, 1996. 2 |
| Brass and bronze ingot manufacture | 6 years. 3 |
| 1 Calculated by counting from the date the stay on implementation of paragraph (e)(1) was lifted by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, the number of years specified in the 1978 lead standard and subsequent amendments for compliance with the PEL of 50 µg/m3 for exposure to airborne concentrations of lead levels for the particular industry. | |
| 2 Large nonferrous foundries (20 or more employees) are required to achieve the PEL of 50 µg/m3 by means of engineering and work practice controls. Small nonferrous foundries (fewer than 20 employees) are required to achieve an 8-hour TWA of 75 µg/m3 by such controls. | |
| 3 Expressed as the number of years from the date on which the Court lifts the stay on the implementation of paragraph (e)(1) for this industry for employers to achieve a lead in air concentration of 75 µg/m3. Compliance with paragraph (e) in this industry is determined by a compliance directive that incorporates elements from the settlement agreement between OSHA and representatives of the industry. | |
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.1025.
Where and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 9 |
| 2026 | 11 |
Top states: TN (4), PA (3), NJ (2), IL (2), FL (2)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| NYRSTAR CLARKSVILLE INC. | CLARKSVILLE, TN | $17,500 |
| CLARIOS INC. | SAINT JOSEPH, MO | $9,500 |
| COM2 COMPUTERS AND TECHNOLOGIES, LLC | CAROL STREAM, IL | $5,646 |
| BLUE TRAIL RANGE | WALLINGFORD, CT | $5,469 |
| HEARING PROTECTION LLC | WATERTOWN, WI | $4,635 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.1025(e)(1), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
- Enforcement of the engineering and work practice control provisions of the lead standard, 1910.1025(e)(1). (2004-05-11)
- Stay-of-enforcement of lead standard for brass and bronze ingot manufacturing. (1997-12-31)
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.1025(e) Methods of compliance 96 citations
- 1910.1025(e)(3) Compliance program 39 citations
- 1910.1025(e)(1)(i) 28 citations
- 1910.1025(e)(3)(i) 23 citations
- 1910.1025(e)(4) Mechanical ventilation 20 citations
- 1910.1025(e)(4)(i) 18 citations
- 1910.1025(e)(3)(ii) 10 citations
- 1910.1025(e)(4)(ii) Recirculation of air 2 citations
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Frequently asked questions
When are engineering and work practice controls required for lead?
When any employee is exposed above the permissible exposure limit for more than 30 days per year, unless the employer can show the controls are not feasible.
What if the controls do not get exposure below the limit?
The employer must still use them to reduce exposure to the lowest feasible level and add respiratory protection.
What applies if exposure is above the limit for 30 days or less per year?
Engineering controls must reduce exposure to 200 µg/m3, then any combination of engineering, work practice and respiratory controls may be used to reach 50 µg/m3 or below.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.1025 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-21
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.