To Prevent
Exposure to Lead
This fact sheet
explains how to safely remove doors, windows and trim covered
with lead-based paint. Replacement means removing the window,
door or trim and installing a new unit. Replacement usually
creates little dust and is cost-effective. These guidelines
have been developed for property owners and contractors.
The
Dangers of Lead
Before
You Begin
On
the Job
Cleanup
Disposal
Things
to Remember Before You Begin
Tools
and Materials You Will Need
Safety
Tips
The
Dangers of Lead
About 75
percent of homes built before 1978 contain some lead-based
paint. You should assume that a house painted before 1978
contains some lead-based paint. Older homes may have many
layers of paint, and the older layers of paint are more likely
to contain lead. These older layers of paint can be disturbed
during remodeling. The only way to know if the paint does not
contain lead is to have it tested. You can test the paint by
using a home test kit available at paint and hardware stores
(if allowed in your State), by sending a paint sample to a lab
to be analyzed, or by hiring an individual licensed by your
State's Department of Health to do a lead evaluation of the
home (Contact your State's Department of Health to learn more
about testing old paint, dust, drinking water and soil for
lead).
Anyone involved
in remodeling an older home can be exposed to lead in old
paint, dust, paint chips, fumes and soil. Lead dust can get on
hair, skin and clothing. Lead paint chips, dust and soil can
also be tracked into the home. People can be exposed to lead
any time they breathe lead dust or fumes, or swallow anything
that contains lead.
People living
in older homes can become lead poisoned during remodeling.
People working with lead on the job can also be exposed to
lead dust and bring it home to their families. Lead poisoning
may cause permanent problems with health, learning and
behavior in young children. Adults poisoned by lead can suffer
from high blood pressure, kidney damage and fertility
problems.
The older your
home, the more likely it is to contain lead-based paint.
Paints containing up to 50 percent lead were used on both the
inside and outside of homes through the 1950s. Lead was still
used in some household paints manufactured until 1978,
although these newer paints usually contained much smaller
amounts of lead.
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Before
You Begin
Before you
begin the job, take a look around the work area to find out
what caused the paint to chip or peel. Fix the problem area
before you begin to remove, cover or replace the window, door
or trim.
It is important
to set up the work area properly, so it won't be contaminated
with lead dust and paint chips. Removing windows, doors and
trim can create lead paint dust. This dust can settle on
furniture, floors and other surfaces. Family members can
easily be exposed to this lead dust if the room is not
properly prepared and sealed.
The first step
is to remove everything from the work area including furniture
so these items do not get covered with lead dust. Any items
such as bookcases or large furniture that can't be taken out
of the room should be covered with six mil poly plastic
sheeting and sealed. You can find six mil poly at most
hardware stores. A double layer of three mil poly can be
substituted for each layer of six mil poly. The poly will help
protect the items from being covered in lead dust.
Next, turn off
all the air heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems
in the home. Use caution when you turn off the heating, so the
water pipes do not freeze. Close, cover and seal the registers
to prevent lead dust from settling in the ducts. Turn off
window unit air conditioners and fans in the work area. Cover
and seal the window units with six mil poly. Remember to
uncover the window units when the job is completed.
To protect the
floor from being covered in lead dust, roll out two layers of
six mil poly 10 feet in each direction from the work area. If
you are working in a large area, cover and seal the entire
floor with poly. If the job takes longer than one day, remove
the top layer of poly and discard it, along with any debris
collected in it at the end of the day. Add a new top layer of
poly before you begin work the next day.
Then close,
cover and seal any windows and unused doorways in the work
area with poly. Cover the doorways you will be using to enter
the work areas by hanging two layers of six mil poly over the
doorway. Attach the poly to the top of the doorway with duct
tape. Use a utility knife to cut a vertical slit in the top
piece of the poly to provide access to the work area.
Place a plastic
runner on floors to protect the floor from being contaminated
by lead dust while carrying cleanup materials and demolition
debris outside. Use traction guards when placing runners on
stairs. Place washable rugs at the entrance of the work area,
and make sure that the people doing the remodeling work remove
their shoes or shoe guards before leaving the work area. Use
the washable rugs to prevent tracking lead dust into other
areas of the home.
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On
the Job
Removing
Doors
This procedure can be used on interior and exterior doors. The
door assembly includes the jambs, stop, threshold and trim.
To remove the
door, remove the hinge pins. Then carefully remove the door
from the frame.
Prepare the
door for disposal.
Removing
Windows
The window assembly includes the sash, jamb, stops, sill and
well. To remove the window, wet mist the surface with water to
keep down the dust. Then cut all painted joints to avoid
chipping the paint. Next, remove all the parts necessary to
remove the sash. Remove the window sash and properly dispose
of it. Replace the sash with a jamb liner and a new sash.
Cover the blind stop and window well with aluminum coil stock.
You can buy aluminum coil stock at a building supply store.
Removing
Trim and Frames
This procedure can be used to remove baseboards, or interior
or exterior trim pieces around doors and windows. First, mist
or dampen the painted surface with water. Then cut the painted
joints with a sharp knife so that you do not break intact
painted surfaces around the trim or frames.
Remove the
painted trim or frame from the surface. Sometimes you may want
or need to remove the entire frame. Wet mist the area with
water. Be sure to turn off the electricity at the fuse box
before you mist a surface with an outlet. Put tape over the
outlet to keep water out of the outlet. Carefully remove the
trim and frame, to minimize the amount of lead dust created.
Wet
sanding of interior surfaces will keep lead dust levels down,
reduce the need for workers' protection, and provide a sound
surface for repainting.
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Cleanup
It's important
to clean up the work area each day. Cleaning up the
contaminated carpet, paint chips, dust and debris will help
protect the people living in the home from being exposed to
lead. Anyone working with lead can bring the lead dust home to
their families on their hair, skin, shoes, clothing and tools.
Place the rags,
paper towels and mops used during the job and cleanup, and the
disposable non-washable clothing and shoe covers in a heavy
duty garbage bag and seal. Dispose of this debris in a heavy
duty garbage bag. Roll up the poly you used to cover the
doorways. Start at the corner and roll the poly inward to
capture all the dust which may have settled on it. Tape the
poly shut with duct tape. Also roll up both layers of poly
used to catch the debris and paint chips. Start at the corner
and roll the material inward to capture all of the dust and
debris, and tape the poly shut with duct tape.
Clean the work
area thoroughly, using a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA)
Filter vacuum. The HEPA vacuum has a
special filter that picks up and holds very small pieces of
lead dust.
Do not use your
household vacuum to clean up lead dust and paint chips. The
filter in the household vacuum is not designed to pick up and
hold the fine lead dust, it will just spread the lead dust
throughout the house. Once the source of lead has been cleaned
up, it is fine to use your household vacuum cleaner for
regular cleaning.
Next, wet wash
the entire work area with a cleaning solution made up of
trisodium phosphate (TSP) powder or automatic dishwashing
detergent containing phosphate. You can buy TSP at a hardware
store. Make the cleaning solution by mixing one tablespoon of
TSP, or one tablespoon of automatic dishwashing detergent,
with one gallon of water. If you cannot find TSP or automatic
dishwashing detergent that contains phosphate, use a household
detergent. If you are using a household detergent to make the
cleaning solution, mix the detergent according to the
directions on the container. Be sure to wear waterproof,
chemical resistant rubber gloves when you wet wash the area.
Daily wet washing will remove harmful lead dust while you
complete the remodeling project.
Before you
begin cleaning be sure to use the phosphate cleaner on a small
area of the surface. If it dulls or harms the surface, add
more water to the phosphate cleaning solution.
After you wash
the area with the cleaning solution, rinse the area with clean
water. Be sure to use two separate buckets, one for the
cleaning solution, and one for the clean rinse water. Use two
separate sets of disposable rags or paper towels one for the
washing step and one for the rinse step. Wear waterproof,
chemical resistant rubber gloves. After you finish, filter the
rinse water through a five micron filter to catch any large
pieces of lead debris. These filters are available at building
supply stores. If you can't find one, filter the water through
a nylon stocking. Let the lead debris in the filter or
stocking dry out, and dispose of it as household hazardous
waste.
Put the rags,
paper towels and mops used during the cleanup in a garbage bag
and seal. Then vacuum the work area again with the HEPA vacuum. Wait one hour and repeat the cleanup
process. This will allow for the clean up of any lead dust
that may have settled.
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Disposal
If you have
been remodeling a home built before 1978, the paint chips,
dust and other debris may contain lead. The person who creates
the lead waste is responsible for its disposal (Contractors
should call their State's pollution control agency for
information about the cleanup and disposal of
lead-contaminated waste).
Minnesota law
(for example) allows property owners to put lead waste in
their trash. However, there are a few things to consider. Does
your county burn trash after pickup? If so, lead fumes may be
released into the air. Call your county offices to find out if
they burn trash. If your trash is burned, the MDH (Minnesota
Department of Health) recommends that you dispose of lead
paint chips and lead debris at a household hazardous waste
collection site. Call your county offices for information
about the household hazardous waste service in your community.
Never burn
window and door frames, or pieces of furniture covered with
old paint, in your fireplace or wood burning stove. These
items may be covered with lead-based paint, and burning them
could release dangerous lead fumes into your home and the
environment.
Keep all waste
out of the reach of children and pets until pickup or
disposal. Drop cloths, sponges, gloves and disposable,
non-washable work clothes used during remodeling and cleanup
should be sealed in heavy duty garbage bags. These materials
may be covered with lead-based paint dust and chips. If your
county burns trash, these materials should be taken to a mixed
municipal solid waste landfill for disposal.
Larger pieces
of demolition debris, such as doors and window frames, should
be wrapped in two layers of six mil poly and sealed with duct
tape. If your county burns trash, or your garbage hauler will
not accept these large pieces, they can be taken to a mixed
municipal solid waste landfill, or a demolition debris
landfill, for disposal (Call your State's pollution control
agency to find out where these collection sites are
located. Contact your local garbage hauler to find out which
materials they will pick up with your trash).
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Things
to Remember Before You Begin
-
High
Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filter respirators are
recommended for any work that creates dust. See your
doctor before using a respirator to make sure you are
healthy enough to wear one. Read the package instructions
about proper use and fit of the respirator.
-
Contractors
with employees are covered by (the) Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, under the
Lead in Construction Standard.
-
Disturbing
paint during remodeling or home repairs can create lead
paint dust and debris. For that reason, the work must be
done safely and correctly. You may want to hire a licensed
lead supervisor with workers trained to work with lead. If
you have been ordered by a health department to do lead
hazard reduction work, the law requires that you follow
certain procedures.
-
Family
members can develop lead poisoning if remodeling or repair
work is not done safely and correctly. Symptoms of lead
poisoning are difficult to detect, and do not appear until
a child is already very ill. Children up to age six living
in or regularly visiting an older home, especially if
there has been recent remodeling, renovation or repair
work, should have a blood lead test. Your health care
provider can do this test. A blood lead test is the only
way to know if a child has recently been exposed to lead.
These
guidelines were originally developed by the Minnesota
Department of Health and Department of Administration with an
advisory group made up of remodeling and lead contractors, and
representatives from trade unions, non-profit organizations,
housing authorities and government agencies. Revised July
1999.
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Tools and
Materials You Will Need
-
A High Efficiency
Particulate Air (HEPA) Filter vacuum
-
Respirator.
-
TSP or automatic dishwashing
detergent containing phosphate. Use one tablespoon of
cleaner to one gallon of water. If using a household
detergent, mix the detergent according to the directions
on the container.
-
Waterproof, chemical
resistant rubber gloves.
-
A spray bottle with water.
-
Buckets.
-
Lint-free towels, rags,
paper towels and mops you can throw away.
-
Six mil polyethylene plastic
sheeting (poly).
-
Heavy duty garbage bags.
-
Duct tape for sealing poly
and garbage bags.
-
Washable or disposable work
clothing.
-
Sharp utility knife.
-
Common hardware tools in
good condition.
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Safety Tips
-
Use caution with sharp
tools.
-
Be aware of slip, trip,
fall, electrical and water hazards.
-
Wear protective clothing
including shoe covers, safety glasses, coveralls, hat or
head cover and gloves.
-
If you have a HEPA vacuum,
use it to clean your work clothes before changing.
-
Clean washable work clothing
separately from other clothing. Run the rinse cycle once
before using the washer again.
-
Take off shoe covers before
leaving the work area.
-
Shower and wash hair
immediately before leaving the work area.
-
Protect yourself from eating
or breathing in lead. Do not smoke, eat or drink on the
job.
-
Wash your hands well before
smoking, eating, or drinking.
-
Keep people and pets out of
the work area until the cleanup is complete.
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Reprinted by
permission from the Minnesota Dept. of Health Lead Program
