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WATER GREMLIN PUBL.I.0 HEALTH ASSESSMENT: PUBLIC COMMENT DRAFT effect was observed in a subchronit animal study. Therefore; Water Gremlin workers exposed to t-DCE. repeatedly at concentrations measured at their facility maybe at risk of immune system effects. When.chemicaI expos ures.in the.workplace: occur because of vapor intrusion, cam mercfal/industrial ISVs are used to evaluate the vapor intrusion pathway, The commercial/industrial ISVs. for TCE arid..t-DCE.are 7 µg/m3 and 70 µg/m3;: respectively.. As discussed in.section V: Remedial Investigation and Interpretation; part C. above, weekly sub -slab and. indoor air sampling has.been conducted at the. Water Gremlin facility from.January 2020 tothe present. TCE was found in indoor air.overthe ISV of 7 µg/mB occasionally,. In January 2020; MDH mquested.that. Water Gremlin notify its employees of TCE in -indoor air, despite indications that the source was most likely from past TCE use in the facility rather than Vapor Intrusion. MDH provided notification language forthe companyto use (see Appendix E) and also provided the notification translated into Hmorig, Karen; and Somali at Water Gremlin's request. TCE concentrations 1n. indoor air within the Water Gremlin facility have decreased over time arid .most commonly are non -detector in the single digits below the ISV. of 7 µg/m3 (M. Ginsbach, personal. communication, November 8,1021). B. Lead and Take -Home Lead Lead poisoning may cause learning, behavior, and health pro blons<in young children: Exposure to lead before or during pregnancy has been linked to miscarriages, premature births, and stillbirths as well as poor braiwand nervous system development in infants. Early symptoms of lead poisoning among adults include fatigue, upset stomach or stomach cramps, poor appetite, irritability/nervousness/depression, headache, sleeplessness, metallic taste in. the mouth, reproductive problems, high blood pressure, lack of concentration, and muscle and/or join pain. During the manufacturing process, people who work at Water Gremlin maybe exposed to lead dust. Workers can bring lead dust on clothes, shoes, body, and personal items into homes. This is called take- home lead. DOLI is responsible for enforcing requirements regarding lea.d exposures to employees: There are a number of requirements that need to be met to assure that employees are not exposed to lead. greater than the OSHA PELs. The require ments.are also meant to:emure that lead is not leaving the facility where it, can put .employee family members at risk., MDH and DO.LI. took court action.1n late October 2019 to temporarily shut down Water Grem [in's lead casting operations due: to.12 cases of elevated blood lead levels (EBLs) in children of Water Gremlin employees: MDH and Ramsey County encouraged Water Gremlin employees to keep children away from work clothes and shoes and to clean entryways, closets, and vehicles. Free blood lead testing was provided to employees and.each member of their family, A majority of Water Gremlin workers tested had high blood lead levels. Through blood lead testing and additional efforts to identify.child ren of Water Gremlin employees in MDH's blood lead testing database; an additional 12 children of workers With EBLs were discovered, bringing the totalto 24 children. On November 22, 2019, a Ramsey County District .Court ordered. Water Gremlin to take additional measures to reduce lead .exposure%arid .prevent take-home' lead to protect the health. and safety of its workers and their families. These measures include routine: cleaning and testing of lead levels at the Water Gremlin facility, monthly refresher tra.i6ing in languages. understood by the:employees, lead wipe testing on. employees clothing, skin and hair upon exiting for the day, installing new..changing :and locker room facilities, and an employee vehicle cleaning program. As a result, data from 2019 to 2021 show that blood lead levels. in workers appear to be:de.clining. 40