Lead-Sheathed Cables in Telecom Networks

Recently a national publication ran a story about the presence of lead-sheathed cables in telecom networks. This is an industry issue, and we will be engaged in this important conversation over the coming months. The safety and well-being of our current and former employees is and will continue to be one of the most important parts of the conversation.

If you are a retiree of Lumen or its affiliate companies, and your work responsibilities included cable repair and maintenance, you might have questions about our practices or where to go for help. It is important to note that we have not installed new lead-sheathed cables in our network since the 1960s.

When it comes to our network and legacy cables, our practices comply with OSHA guidelines. Our approach emphasizes measures to minimize employee risk and maintain a safe working environment.

Former employees who worked with lead-sheathed cables, or near others working with lead-sheathed cables, may want to know more. If you are such a person, you can work with your primary care physician to inquire about having a lead blood test performed. If you opt to have a lead blood test performed, Lumen will reimburse reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. If you incur out-of-pocket expenses, please email HRConnect-NA@lumen.com and provide your name when employed with the company, D.O.B., and dates of employment and someone will get back to you with next steps.

For an industry perspective, please visit USTelecom's dedicated site at www.telecomcablefacts.com. Thank you.