Chapter DHS 181

REPORTING OF BLOOD LEAD TEST RESULTS

DHS 181.01   Authority and purpose.

DHS 181.02   Applicability.

DHS 181.03   Definitions.

DHS 181.04   Reporting responsibility and test result access.

DHS 181.05   Timetable for reporting.

DHS 181.06   Contents of report.

DHS 181.07   Form of report submitted to the department.

DHS 181.08   Enforcement, penalties and immunity from liability.

Ch. DHS 181 Note Note: Chapter HFS 181 was renumbered chapter DHS 181 under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., and corrections made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register January 2009 No. 637.

DHS 181.01 DHS 181.01 Authority and purpose. This chapter is promulgated under the authority of ss. 250.04 (7) and 254.13, Stats., to ensure timely reporting to the department of the results of all tests made to determine the concentration of lead in a person’s blood. The chapter establishes a foundation for a surveillance system that will identify, evaluate and provide a basis for controlling the prevalence of lead poisoning or lead exposure. When blood lead test results are properly reported, the department and local health departments are able to carry out their public health responsibilities to identify individuals with lead poisoning, identify and evaluate trends, patterns and risk factors for lead poisoning, identify sources of lead in the environment, educate the public and prevent exposure to lead.

DHS 181.01 History History: Cr. Register, May, 2000, No. 533, eff. 6-1-00.

DHS 181.02 DHS 181.02 Applicability. This chapter applies to any physician, nurse, hospital administrator, director of a blood drawing site or local health officer who obtains a person’s blood sample or orders that a blood sample be taken from a Wisconsin resident for the purpose of measuring the concentration of lead in the blood and to directors of clinical laboratories and persons performing onsite blood lead testing, that analyze human blood samples to determine the concentration of lead in blood.

DHS 181.02 History History: Cr. Register, May, 2000, No. 533, eff. 6-1-00; CR 19-019: am. Register December 2019 No. 768, eff. 1-1-20.

DHS 181.03 DHS 181.03 Definitions. In this chapter:

DHS 181.03(1) (1) “Blood lead test” means the determination by a clinical laboratory of the amount of lead in a blood sample.

DHS 181.03(2) (2) “Blood sample” means any human blood sample, venous or capillary, drawn for analysis of the concentration of lead in the blood.

DHS 181.03(3) (3) “Clinical laboratory” means a laboratory which analyzes human blood samples to determine the concentration of lead in blood and which meets the standards of the clinical laboratory improvement amendments.

DHS 181.03(4) (4) “Clinical laboratory improvement amendments” means the federal clinical laboratory improvement amendments of 1988, as amended, 42 USC 263a and 42 CFR Part 493.

DHS 181.03(5) (5) “Department” means the Wisconsin department of health services.

DHS 181.03(6) (6) “Director of a blood drawing site” means a person responsible for a location where blood samples are obtained or drawn to determine the concentration of lead in the blood.

DHS 181.03(7) (7) “Health care provider” means a physician, nurse, hospital administrator, local health officer or director of a blood drawing site.

DHS 181.03(8) (8) “Local health department” has the meaning specified under s. 250.01 (4), Stats.

DHS 181.03(9) (9) “Local health officer” means the person in charge of a local health department.

DHS 181.03(10) (10) “Lead poisoning or lead exposure” means a level of lead in the blood of 3.5 or more micrograms per 100 milliliters of blood.

DHS 181.03 History History: Cr. Register, May, 2000, No. 533, eff. 6-1-00; corrections in (5) and (11) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6. and 7., Stats., Register January 2009 No. 637; CR 19-019: am. (10), r. (11) to (13) Register December 2019 No. 768, eff. 1-1-20; EmR2502: emerg. am. (10), eff. 1-31-25; CR 24-082: am. (10) Register July 2025 No. 835, eff. 8-1-25.

DHS 181.04 DHS 181.04 Reporting responsibility and test result access.