Lead poisoning investigation launched

A number of employees working on a construction site at a Perthshire mansion have been admitted to hospital with what is suspected to be lead poisoning, a source reveals.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is investigating the incident, which has affected those working for Blairish Restorations, Building Magazine reports.

As a reaction to the incidents, the organisation has briefed the construction firm's staff and established what a spokesperson describes as a "safe system of work" to allow the project to continue.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the HSE claims the accident appears to have been caused by "raised levels of lead absorption".

She explains: "They had been working with lead paint.

"A lot of it was used in the olden days - this led to the incident and work was stopped," she adds.

Lead poisoning is described by patient.co.uk as causing nervous system toxicity and renal tubular dysfunction.

This can manifest through vomiting, constipation, hearing loss and carpal tunnel syndrome.