Occupational lead notifications remained high in 2025

Posted 3 hours ago by Helene Marsters Less than a minute to read

We have published our latest report on Occupational lead notifications for 2014-2025.

Here are the key findings:

Occupational lead absorption notification rates remained high in 2025, partly due to the lowering of the new notifiable level in 2021.
Painters and smelting/metal refinery workers had the highest rates of lead absorption notifications in 2024–25.
Pacific people continue to have the highest occupational lead absorption notification rates since 2017.
Occupational lead absorption notification rates for people living in the most deprived areas (NZDep 2023 quintile 5) were more than twice the rate of those living in the least deprived areas.