The Allegany County Department of Health would like to remind any residents doing home renovations that there are ways to keep lead dust to a minimum and reduce your risk of lead exposures. Allegany County has many older housing units, and those that were built before 1978 most likely contain lead paint. Lead is a metal that can harm children and adults when it gets into their bodies. Lead can be found in dust, air, water, soil, and in some products used in and around our homes.
Do-it-yourself projects can easily stir up harmful lead dust if proper safe practices are not followed. Lead paint dust or chips can cause serious health problems, especially for children and pregnant women. Children and pregnant women should not do any lead paint removal work, and they should stay out of the work area until clean-up is complete. If you are not sure if lead is present, treat the paint as if it contains lead, or if the project is very large, you may want to make alternative living arrangements for the time period the work is being completed.
What is lead poisoning?
Lead can harm a young child’s growth, behavior, and ability to learn. Children under six years old are more likely to get lead poisoning than any other age group. Most often, children get lead poisoning from breathing in or swallowing dust from old lead paint that gets on floors, windowsills, hands, and toys. Lead can also be passed from mother to baby during pregnancy.
What you should know about lead testing:
Children who may have been exposed to lead-based paint should have a blood lead test to see if they have elevated blood lead levels. All children one and two years of age must be tested and those individuals, who may have been exposed to lead dust, may seek testing as well.
As a homeowner, you can do the work yourself; however, there are ways to keep health risks to a minimum. Protect your family and home during renovation projects by setting up safely, controlling the dust, and cleaning up thoroughly. Always use a method that creates the least amount of dust.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO DISTURB LEAD-BASED PAINT FOLLOW THESE PRACTICES:
- WORK SMART
- Choose paint removal methods that minimize dust.
- Avoid sanding, burning, and grinding, and replace building components rather than removing paint when possible.
- Wear disposable coveralls, shoes, hair covering, goggles and a properly fitting respirator.
- Only HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) respirators will filter lead dust. Simple paper or fabric dust masks will NOT protect you from lead dust.
- WORK WET
- When paint removal is necessary, use water while working to reduce dust.
- Use a spray bottle with water to wet any surface that will be scraped or sanded.
- WORK CLEAN
- Prepare the work area. Use plastic sheeting to cover floors, furniture, and other items that may collect dust. Don’t forget about covering forced air vents as they can trap and distribute lead dust as well.
- Close Windows and cover doorways to work areas with plastic sheeting.
- Plastic sheeting isn’t expensive and must be thrown out after the job is done.
- Clean up carefully. Before leaving the work area, dispose of coveralls, and remove dust from your clothes with a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner.
- Shop vacs should not be used for cleanup because they can spread lead dust.
- Shower as soon as you can, so you do not spread lead dust around your home or elsewhere.
09-08-22 ACDOH – Tips for Do It Yourself Lead Poisoning Risk Reduction
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