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VPC - Poisonous Pastime - Section One <br />Page 6 of 16 <br />example, the California Department of Health Services reported that, among commercial industries, <br />indoor firing ranges had the largest number of lead poisoning cases as recently as 1993 and <br />1994.32 Problems with lead overexposure also continue to be regularly seen at law enforcement <br />firing ranges33 and at both active and abandoned firing ranges located within school buildings. But <br />most privately operated firing ranges (shooting clubs, for example) are completely unregulated by <br />public health authorities, even though they present major health problems for their staff and users. <br />Guns & Ammo, April 2001, p. 81 <br />It should also be noted that most indoor shooting ranges, like any small business dealing with toxic <br />materials, are subject to a wide range of state and local health and safety regulations, such as <br />special health and safety provisions of building codes, and special procedures for containing and <br />cleaning up lead waste (such as being sure that plumbing connections do not discharge lead waste <br />into waters).34 <br />A wide fan of risk. The risk of lead poisoning begins most acutely with firearm instructors, other <br />range employees, and individual shooters, all of whom may inhale lead dust or fumes while <br />shooting or engaging in other activities such as cleaning firearms, handling spent casings, or <br />cleaning bullet traps and the range itself.35 The risk then fans out widely over a surprising range of <br />third parties who are not participants in the "shooting sports." <br />Risk to direct participants. It is logical that, as even the pro -gun Second Amendment Foundation <br />warns, "the people at the highest risk are those with the greatest and most consistent exposure to <br />the ambient lead —range officers, coaches, and those attempting to remove lead from a range <br />without proper safety gear and equipment."36 <br />http://www.vpc.org/studies/leadone.htm 2/5/2014 <br />