Lead
Lead is a highly toxic material that can cause severe neurological disorders and cancer. Lead is often found in the renovation, demolition, manufacturing, and recycling industries. One of the best ways to protect workers against lead exposure is to practise good hygiene at work.
- How workers are exposed
- The risks
- How to reduce the risk
- Resources
How workers are exposed
Lead has been commonly used in paints and coatings. It can still be found in many old homes. Removing lead-based paint, or demolishing walls coated with it, can release lead dust into the air. The most common activities that expose workers to lead are:
| Metalwork |
|
|
Working with batteries |
|
| Demolition and abatement |
|
| Manufacturing |
|
|
Working with scrap metal |
|
Inorganic lead, which is the lead used in manufacturing, is not readily absorbed through the skin. Workers commonly inhale it or ingest it. Here's how that typically happens:
| Inhalation |
|
| Ingestion |
|
The risks
Lead is toxic to almost all of our organs. The body will naturally get rid of lead over time but lead can accumulate faster than your body can get rid of it. Repeated exposure to low doses of lead, or short-term exposure to high doses, causes health problems. These can include:
- Stomach pain
- Headache
- Irritability
- Muscle pain
- Pre-term birth in pregnant women, as well as reduced birth weight and decreased mental ability in the infant
- Tiredness and weakness
- Weight loss
- Abdominal pain
- Neurological issues
- Kidney failure
- Cancer
How to reduce the risk
Good personal hygiene helps prevent lead exposure. Workers should wash their hands before eating, drinking, and smoking. While working they should also avoid chewing gum, biting their fingernails, and chewing on pencils. Workers should leave their work clothes at work. Bringing work clothes home can expose families to lead dust, which is especially dangerous for children and for pregnant women.
The best way to reduce the risk of exposure to lead is to eliminate the source of exposure. If that's not possible, there are other risk controls to use. When choosing risk controls, start by asking the questions in the following steps. The steps are listed in order of effectiveness.
-
1
Elimination or substitution
Eliminating the hazard by substituting a safer process or material, where possible, is the most effective control. A question to consider:
- Can you replace lead-based materials (e.g., paint) with lead-free alternates?
-
2
Engineering controls
Making physical modifications to facilities, equipment, and processes can reduce exposure. Some questions to consider:
- Can local exhaust ventilation be used or improved?
- Can workers be enclosed away from lead-generating processes?
-
3
Administrative controls
These involve changing work practices and work policies. Providing awareness tools and training also count as administrative controls. All can limit the risk of lead exposure. Some questions to consider:
- Have you developed a written exposure control plan for lead?
- Can warning signs be posted in the work area?
- Can work shift times be shortened for workers exposed to lead?
- Can shower and change facilities provide separate areas for work and street clothes?
- Can eating facilities be moved away from work areas?
- Do you need a blood lead monitoring program?
-
4
Personal protective equipment
This is the least effective control. When used, there must always be at least one other control in place as well. Some questions to consider:
- Do workers have the proper respirators, eye wear, and protective clothing?
- Has personal protective equipment been tested to make sure it is working properly?
Resources
Safe Work Practices for Handling Lead
This manual is for employers, supervisors, workers, and occupational health and safety consultants who may come into contact with lead, lead products, or lead-containing paints and coatings. It provides...
Exposure Control Plan for the Removal of Lead-Containing Paint, Using Hand Tools
Effective controls are available to protect workers from exposure to lead when using hand tools to remove lead-containing paint. This document outlines responsibilities for employers, supervisors, and...