Traditional Renovations Create Airborne Leaded Dust

The data presented here are from Lead Exposures Associated with Renovation and Remodeling Activities: Summary Report, Prepared by Battelle for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, May 1997, EPA 747-R-96-005.

This chart shows amounts of lead dust created by three common construction practices: hand sanding, power sanding, and interior demolition. Note: The RRP rule restricts the use of power sanders, among other things, see following page for more information.

By using safe work practices, you can control and significantly reduce the amount of dust created on the job. Controlling leaded dust at the source of generation is important because dust released into the air will eventually become settled dust on the ground.

Note: If you have questions regarding OSHA’s air sampling requirements, OSHA provides a consultation service that is separate from enforcement and will not result in penalties or citations. This service can be accessed at https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/consult.html.

Prohibited Practices

The EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule does not specifically address what measures must be taken to reduce the amount of dust generated on the job. Rather, the rule lists three Prohibited Practices that must not be used on the job.

1. Open-flame burning or torching of painted surfaces

2. Heat gun above 1,100º F (degrees Fahrenheit).

3. The use of machines designed to remove paint or other surface coatings through high-speed operation such as sanding, grinding, power planing, needle gun, abrasive blasting, or sandblasting unless such machines have shrouds or containment systems and are equipped with a HEPA vacuum attachment to collect dust and debris at the point of generation.

Machines must be operated so that no visible dust release of air occurs outside the shroud or containment system. A key to minimizing the spread of dust and paint chips is not to use certain traditional work practices known to create large amounts of dust and debris.

Open-flame burning or torching of paint and using a heat gun above 1,100º F create very fine leaded dust particulates (“fume”) that are dangerous for workers to breathe. The small leaded dust particles created by burning and heating also settle on surrounding surfaces and are very hard to clean up.

Power sanding, power grinding, power planning, needle guns, abrasive blasting, and sandblasting create a large amount of dust that floats in the air and then settles on surfaces inside and outside of the work area. See Appendix 5 Steps to LEAD SAFE Renovation, Repair and Painting for more information

Specialized Tools

Large jobs may require special considerations to get the job done, like:

• Power tools designed to remove paint or other coating must have shroud or containment system equipped with HEPA vacuum.

• Pneumatic and battery powered tools to protect against shock hazards.

• Specialized planning and containment

Only power tools designed to remove paint or other surface coatings equipped with attached HEPA-filtered local capture ventilation may be used when lead-based paint is present or presumed to be present.

• Electric power tools such as sanders, grinders, circular saws, reciprocating saws, planers and drills produce dust and debris. Because they are electric, wet methods are not safe. Pneumatic and battery powered tools prevent shock hazards. Such tools must have a shroud or containment system equipped with a HEPA vacuum attachment to contain the dangerous leaded dust and paint chips that are generated by their use.

• Tools with attached HEPA-filtered capture ventilation collect and filter dust and debris as it is created. A shroud at the head of the tool helps to contain the dust and paint chips as the vacuum draws away dust and debris for safe storage in the vacuum canister. This makes the job cleaner and safer.

• Abrasive blasting is very effective at removing large areas of paint quickly, but these practices require special HEPA filtration equipment that contains the blast medium, dust and paint chips without releasing dust into the air or into the containment. Containment is even more important when using specialized tools.

• Proper containment and cleaning are crucial even when using HEPA-filtered specialized tools. These tools generate a lot of dust inside a localized negative pressure (vacuum) environment. If the vacuum fails or if the vacuum seal created by the shroud is broken, large volumes of dust can be released. Nonetheless, HEPA-filtered specialized tools can reduce dust levels when used properly, and can aid work production by shortening the cleaning time and lowering cost.

See the Shopping List of tools and supplies found in Steps to LEAD SAFE Renovation, Repair and Painting

Protect Yourself

Workers should wear:

• Disposable painter’s hat.

• Disposable coveralls.

• Repair tears with duct tape.

• Dispose of in plastic bag.

• Disposable N-100, R-100 or P-100 respirator.

• Wash face and hands frequently and at the end of each shift.

• Washing helps to reduce hand-to-mouth ingestion of leaded dust.

• OSHA may require more protection depending on what work is done

Painter’s hats are an inexpensive way to keep dust and paint chips out of workers’ hair. Painter’s hats can be easily disposed of, and should be disposed of at the end of each day or at the end of the job.

Disposable coveralls are a good way to keep dust off workers’ street clothes and reduce the chance of carrying dust away as they come and go. Remember to use a HEPA vacuum to remove dust and debris from coveralls or other outerwear (a “dry decon”) before exiting the work area. Some coveralls have a hood to keep dust out of hair.

Respiratory protection. Employers should consider that workers should wear respiratory protection, such as a disposable N-100, R-100 or P-100 respirator, and follow OSHA’s Respiratory Protection standard (29 CFR 1910.134) to prevent them from inhaling leaded dust. These respirators are particulate-filtering respirators and would not be appropriate as protection from chemical stripping compounds.

You should wash your hands and face at the end of each shift. Workers should wash their hands and faces periodically to avoid ingesting leaded dust. You should also wash well before eating, drinking or smoking. You should not eat, drink, or smoke in the work area. Some of the dust that settles on the face around the mouth invariably finds its way into the mouth. Workers should also wash at the end of the day before getting in their car or going home. They shouldn’t take leaded dust home to their families.

Personal protection is especially important on high dust generating jobs when lead-based paint or lead-contaminated dust is disturbed, and while cleaning is being performed. However, the same level of protection is not necessary during the planning, testing or setup phases of the work when lead is not being disturbed.

The protective equipment listed above is meant to show what is needed during activities that disturb lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust. Depending upon work practices used, OSHA rules may require employers to take further steps to protect the health of workers on the job.

OSHA provides additional information on working with lead in their Safety and Health Regulations for Lead in the Construction Industry (29 CFR 1926.62).

Control the Spread of Dust

Precautions to take when leaving the work site:

• When you leave the work site (the area covered by protective sheeting or the work room), take precautions to prevent spreading dust and paint chips on your clothes and shoes to other parts of the residence.

• Every time you leave the plastic sheeting around the surfaces being renovated, remove the disposable shoe covers and wipe or vacuum your shoes before you step off the plastic sheeting. A large disposable tack pad on the floor can help to clean the soles of your shoes.

• Every time you leave containment, HEPA vacuum and remove your disposable coveralls and disposable shoe covers. Clean and/or vacuum your shoes, and wash your hands and face.

At the end of the day:

• Change your clothes and wash yourself to reduce the risk of contaminating your car and taking leaded dust home to your family.

• Before leaving the worksite, remove any protective clothing, HEPA vacuum dust from nonprotective clothing, and thoroughly wash your hands and face. Throw away disposable clothing or place clothing in a plastic bag to stop dust from getting on other clothes at home.

• As soon as you arrive home, take a shower and be sure to thoroughly wash your hair, especially before playing with children. Wash your work clothes separately from regular household laundry to stop lead from getting on your other clothes.

• Be clean before you come in contact with family members, especially children. Remember the video about the contractor who lead-poisoned his own kids.

Cleaning During the Job

Clean the work site frequently. Cleaning the work site frequently as the job progresses will reduce the spread of dust and paint chips. Daily cleaning need not be as thorough as the final cleaning. It should, however, keep debris, dust and paint chips from piling up and spreading beyond the immediate work site.

Daily cleaning during the job includes:

• Removing debris frequently. Seal and dispose of construction debris as it is created.

• Vacuuming horizontal surfaces frequently. HEPA vacuum dust and paint chips that settle on surfaces, including protective sheeting. As workers come and go during the work day, this debris is easily spread. Periodic cleaning throughout the work day helps minimize the spread of dust.

• Collect paint chips as they are created. When removing paint, paint chips can spread outside the immediate work area as workers come and go from the work site. To keep paint chips from spreading beyond the work site, make sure that they are collected as they are created. Periodically HEPA vacuum and dispose of paint chips.

• Wrapping and disposing of removed components. When removing painted components such as windows, trim and cabinets, wrap them in plastic sheeting and dispose of them in stages. This will prevent the spread of debris and keep residents, especially children, from coming into contact with leaded dust created by the work.

• Safe Waste Disposal. All renovation waste from the work area must be contained prior to its removal, storage, or disposal to prevent releases of dust and debris. Chutes for removing waste from the work area must be covered. At the conclusion of each work day, collect waste and store it in containment, in an enclosure, or behind a barrier that prevents the release of, and access to, dust and debris.

• When transporting waste from the renovation work area it must be contained to prevent the release of dust and debris. How often should cleaning during the job take place?

The goal is to keep dust and debris under control, not to maintain a completely spotless site at all times. Every job is different; so clean when it makes sense to, without hindering progress. Remove large amounts of dust, paint chips, and debris frequently, at least daily.