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Reducing Lead Hazards During Construction
Jeffrey Havelin, P.E.
Overview
Employers must be aware of workplace hazards facing their workers and must take
appropriate action to minimize or eliminate exposure to these hazards. The
interim OSHA standard aims to reduce the exposure to lead for construction
workers. The most significant way to achieve this was by lowering the
permissible exposure limit (PEL) of lead from 200 micrograms per cubic meter of air as
an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air.
This
course will review the new interim OSHA standards for lead exposure during
construction activities. For the purpose of this standard, lead includes
metallic lead, all inorganic lead compounds, and organic lead soaps. OSHA’s lead
in construction standard applies to all construction work where an employee may
be occupationally exposed to lead. All work related to construction, alteration,
or repair, including painting and decorating, is included.
Lead
is a cumulative and toxic substance. People who swallow or inhale lead compounds
may become ill or die from lead poisoning. Although lead is eliminated from the
body at a slow rate, inhaling even a small amount of a lead compound over an
extended period of time may cause lead poisoning. Immediate symptoms of disease
may not be noticeable. As the blood is circulated through the body, lead is
stored in various organs and body tissues. The lead stored in the body may be
slowly causing irreversible damage: first to the cells, then to the organs, and
finally to the whole body system.
Engineering controls
reduce
employee exposure in the workplace either by removing or isolating the hazard or
isolating the worker from exposure through the use of technology. Under the lead
in construction standard, mechanical ventilation may be used to control lead
exposure. If used, the employer must evaluate, as necessary, the mechanical
performance of the system in controlling exposure to maintain its effectiveness.
Note:
The
use of lead-based paint in residential application has been banned by the
Consumer Product Safety Commission. However, since lead-based paint inhibits the
rusting and corrosion of iron and steel, it is still used on bridges, railways,
ships, lighthouses, and other steel structures, although substitute coatings are
available.
The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of twenty (20) questions
at the end of the course to obtain PDH credits.
Specific Knowledge or Skill Attained
This course teaches the following specific knowledge and
skills:
- Safe work practices
- Review interior surface
preparation
- Selection of correct
respiration equipment
- Review of HEPA
filter-equipped vacuum cleaners
- Review allowable blood
levels of lead
- Review allowable
concentrations of lead in the air
- Engineering Controls
- Work Practice Controls
Course
Click on the following PDF “A
Guide to Lead Exposure in the Construction Industry”
published by the N.C. Department of Labor
and review prior
to taking a quiz for credit. You will be quizzed on the attached document on its
entirety.
A Guide to Lead Exposure in the Construction Industry (86 KB)
Having Trouble Downloading the PDF File?
Right click on the link. Select "Save Target As..."
Then save on your desktop. To view the file, double click the icon on your
desktop and return to this page to take the quiz.
You may need Acrobat Reader to view this document.
Click on the link below to download a free copy of Acrobat Reader.
To obtain PDH credits for this course, you will need to take a quiz for
credit. Click on the link below.
(To take the quiz,
your web browser must be set to accept cookies. See how to
check your cookie settings.)
 
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