HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOME LEAD-SAFE

Jobs and Hobbies

You could bring lead home on your hands or clothes, or contaminate your home directly if you:

Work with lead and/or lead-based paint (for example, renovation and painting, mining, smelting, battery recycling, refinishing old furniture, auto body, shooting ranges).

• Have a hobby that uses lead (for example, hunting, fishing, stained glass, stock cars, making pottery).
• Lead can be found in shot, fishing sinkers and jigs, came and solder used in stained glass, weights used in stock cars, dyes and glazes used in pottery, and many other places.
• If you have a job or hobby where you may come into contact with lead:
• Never put leaded materials (for example, fishing sinkers, lead came or solder for stained glass or leaded pottery clay or glaze) in your mouth,
• Avoid handling food or touching your mouth or face while engaged in working with lead materials and wash hands before eating or drinking following such activities,
• Shower and change clothes before entering your vehicle or coming home,
• Launder your work and hobby clothes separately from the rest of your family's clothes, and keep all work and hobby materials away from living areas.

Check Your Home

If your home was built before 1978, have your home tested for lead and learn about potential lead hazards. Fix any hazards that you may have. You can get your home checked in one or both of the following ways:

A paint inspection — Tells you the lead content of every different type of painted surface in your home, but does not tell you if the paint is a hazard or how to deal with it. This is most appropriate when you are buying a home or signing a lease, before you renovate, and to help you determine how to maintain your home for lead safety.

A risk assessment — Tells you if there are any sources of serious lead exposure such as peeling paint and lead dust, and tells you what actions to take to address these hazards. This is most helpful if you want to know if lead is causing exposure to your family now.

Have qualified professionals do the work. There are standards in place for certifying lead-based paint professionals to ensure the work is done safely, reliably, and effectively. You can have a combined risk assessment and inspection.

Maintain Your Home’s Condition

It is very important to care for the lead-painted surfaces in your home. 

• Regularly check your home for chipping, peeling, or deteriorating paint, and address issues promptly without excessive sanding. If you must sand, sand the minimum area needed, wet the area first, and clean up thoroughly.
• Regularly check all painted areas that rub together or get lots of wear, like windows, doors, and stairways, for any signs of deterioration.
• Regularly check for paint chips or dust – if you see some, remove carefully with a damp paper towel and discard in the trash, then wipe the surface clean with a wet paper towel.
• Wipe down flat surfaces, like window sills, at least weekly with a damp paper towel and throw away the paper towel.
• Mop smooth floors (using a damp mop) weekly to control dust.
• Remember to test for the presence of lead and lead hazards by a lead professional – this will tell you where you must be especially careful.

Source: http://www2.epa.gov/lead/learn-about-lead

Envirochem with a 25 years experience in the market, offer Chemical Analysis for the Built Environment where sensitivity is required in understanding the composition and nature of various substances. Visit our website for more information (www.envirochem.co.uk) or give us a call (01329287777) today and we will be happy to provide you with further details on our extensive range of products & services. So please let us know if we can arrange an information pack to be sent to you or whether you would benefit from one of our division managers contacting you to discuss any requirements you may have.