§ 27.34. Reporting cases of lead poisoning.

 (a)  Reporting by clinical laboratories.

   (1)  A clinical laboratory shall report all blood lead test results on both venous and capillary specimens for persons under 16 years of age to the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, Division of Maternal and Child Health, Bureau of Family Health.

   (2)  A clinical laboratory shall report an elevated blood lead level in a person 16 years of age or older to the Division of Environmental Health Epidemiology, Bureau of Epidemiology or to other locations as designated by the Department. An elevated blood lead level is defined by the National Institute For Occupational Safety And Health (NIOSH). As of January 26, 2002, NIOSH defines an elevated blood lead level as a venous blood lead level of 25 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) or higher. The Department will publish in the Pennsylvania Bulletin any NIOSH update of the definition within 30 days of NIOSH’s notification to the Department.

   (3)  A clinical laboratory which conducts blood lead tests of 100 or more specimens per month shall submit results electronically in a format specified by the Department.

   (4)  A clinical laboratory which conducts blood lead tests of less than 100 blood lead specimens per month shall submit results either electronically or by hard copy in the format specified by the Department.

   (5)  A laboratory which performs blood lead tests on blood specimens collected in this Commonwealth shall be licensed as a clinical laboratory and shall be specifically approved by the Department to conduct those tests.

   (6)  Blood lead analyses requested for occupational health purposes on blood specimens collected in this Commonwealth shall be performed only by laboratories which are licensed and approved as specified in paragraph (5), and which are also approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United States Department of Labor under 29 CFR 1910.1025(j)(2)(iii) (relating to lead).

   (7)  A clinical laboratory shall complete a blood lead test within 5 work days of the receipt of the blood specimen and shall submit the case report to the Department by the close of business of the next work day after the day on which the test was performed. The clinical laboratory shall submit a report of lead poisoning using either the hard-copy form or electronic transmission format specified by the Department.

   (8)  When a clinical laboratory receives a blood specimen without all of the information required for reporting purposes, the clinical laboratory shall test the specimen and shall submit the incomplete report to the Department

 (b)  Reporting by health care practitioners or health care facilities. A health care practitioner or health care facility shall report all cases of lead poisoning for persons under 16 years of age and pregnant women to the Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, Child and Adult Health Services Division, Bureau of Family Health. A case of lead poisoning shall be a lead level of 20 µg/dL or greater or a persistent elevated blood lead level ( 2 or more venous blood lead levels of 15 to 19 µg/dL (inclusive) at least three months apart).

   The provisions of this §  27.34 adopted January 25, 2002, effective January 26, 2002, 32 Pa.B. 491.