Controlling lead hazards

A blood lead level above 10 is a red flag. Your child may be at risk so you should be on your guard. He or she should return for follow-up screening, as recommended in the above section, to make sure the level does not go up any further. You should be careful about your child s diet, the cleanliness of the home, washing hands before eating, and other measures to reduce lead exposure. The basic measures you can take to protect your child are set out in Chapters 3 and 6 and summarized in Appendix /. Controlling lead hazards in the environment is discussed in Chapters 5 and 12 through 16. 

Although well worth it in health benefits IF done properly, controlling lead hazards in your home can be expensive. Estimates for removing the lead paint from a medium-sized house range from 2500 to as much as 60,000, or even higher, for example in the case of a historic building. ... 

Some organizations set up training programs for property owners to learn how to control lead hazards in a safe manner. This not only increases the chances of work being done responsibly but also facilitates measures being taken in cases where funds are not available to hire a contractor. 

Because of this unpredictability, property owners find it harder and harder to get liability insurance. In some cases, this results in abandoning property. In others, landlords say they are reluctant to control lead hazards because it is not clear what is adequate and what is not under the law. 

A federal task force has recommended that states address this problem by adopting provisions protecting property owners from liability for injury from lead poisoning if they have met specific standards for controlling lead hazards. 

More funding for evaluating and controlling lead hazards... 

US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control. Online. Available HTTP (accessed 4 April 2003). 

Good chemicals control has, however, considerable positive economic effects for enterprises. It is increasingly important for the competitiveness of enterprises. Furthermore, investments in preventive chemicals control leading to the use of less hazardous chemicals and improved information on risks and safe use will have paybacks in the form of a reduced need for costly risk reduction measures for control of exposure, emissions and waste. In addition, better control of chemicals very often results in more cost-effective processes with reduced use of chemicals and less hazardous waste. By applying the concepts of Clean Products and Clean Production as aspects of improved chemicals control, costs for initial investments in many cases may have paybacks within just a few years time. 

Devonshire Colic, 1700s, Devonshire, England High incidence of lead colic among those who drank contaminated cider. The apple press was constructed partly of lead. Discovered and described in the 1760s by Dr George Baker. Ramazzini, 1700 documented the possible preventive measures to control industrial hazards among workers. 

Hazardous processes shall be analyzed for possible natural and man-made events that could lead to or result in a loss of control of hazardous materials... 

Starting from the fundamentals defined in chapter 7, the first step in STPA is to assess the safety controls provided in the system design to determine the potential for inadequate control, leading to a hazard. The assessment of the hazard controls uses the fact that control actions can be hazardous in four ways (as noted earUer) ... 

To prevent the undesirable consequences of accidents, hazards that can lead to accidents must be identified. Effective hazard identification and control require a systematic, comprehensive, and precise analysis of the process system and its operation. Once hazards are recognized, the adequacy of the mechanisms to control the hazards is evaluated. If control mechanisms do not exist or are inadequate, this must recognized and actions recommended. Several of the benefits of using a HAZOP are the ... 

Hazards of all types can exist in healthcare facilities and organizations must take steps to identify and control these hazards. Conducting periodic tours, inspections, and surveys can help identify and control hazards. Organizations with established safety cultures can rely on staff vigilance to help identify hazards and help prevent accidents. Healthcare supervisors must also focus on correcting unsafe acts and behaviors. Facility personnel at all levels should learn to observe hazards and behaviors that could contribute to accidents. Senior leads should stress the importance of job safety education and training. Supervisors should communicate the need for personal involvement in safety and hazard control efforts. 

Safety engineering is the application of engineering principles and practices to the recognition, evaluation and control of hazards that can lead to accidents and incidents. 

System safety is an approach to accident prevention that involves the detection of deficiencies in system components that have a potential for failure or an accident. Some component deficiencies lead to failures for the entire system. System safety is the application of technical and managerial skills to the systematic, forward-looking identification and control of hazards throughout the life cycle of a system project, program or activity. People developed system safety methods especially for complex systems. 

PART FIVE CONTROLLING LEAD PAINT HAZARDS... 

Imported articles that are intended for decorative use rather than as toys may contain lead paint. Christmas tree ornaments or other types of miniatures or knickknacks may expose small children to lead if they are chewed on or mouthed. For a more detailed discussion about lead in paint and dust, see Chapter 10, For a discussion of how to identify and control lead paint hazards, see Chapters 11 to 13. 

As a parent, the best way to minimize the risk of lead poisoning to your child is to eliminate sources of lead from your child s living environment. For a discussion of controlling lead paint and dust hazards, see Chapters 10 through 13. 

A standard risk assessment, done solely for purposes of prevention, where there is no actual case of lead poisoning, involves inspecting the home for lead paint hazards and testing for lead in dust and soil. This is followed by a detailed listing of what needs to be done to fix or control the lead hazard. The process is described in Chapter 11. 

For an evaluation of the potential hazards in your home related to lead-based paint and dust, as well as advice on controlling those hazards to make your home safe, you can use the services of a professional risk assessor. 

Generally, you can choose any one of a number of methods to control lead paint hazards, except for those that are prohibited, as long as the property is found to be safe when it is inspected and tested after the work and cleanup are completed. In a few states and localities, the law requires certain measures for rental property. Less stringent standards may be set for owner-occupied housing. Check your state lead program and local board of health to see if there are any specific requirements in your area. 

Your choice of lead hazard control method depends on a number of factors, including the condition and age of the home and the complexity of its components, your financial resources, and whether the work can be done when the home is empty. 

Structural problems and water infiltration may have to be taken care of before lead hazard control work begins. So the whole project becomes more expensive if the home is in need of such repairs. Older houses may be more expensive to deal with because they tend not only to have more layers of paint to contend with, but also to have more decorative elements which are difficult to work with, as well as painted kitchen cabinets, radiators, and porches. 

If you are planning any type of remodeling or major repairs on your home, you can save a lot of expense and effort by scheduling the lead hazard control work for the same time frame. If renovation is done before lead work begins, construction will be subject to the same precautions (worker protections and containment to protect residents) as lead work. So it is better to do the lead work first, or at the same time as the other renovation work. 

If the home you are planning to do lead hazard control work on is one you are just purchasing, or one that you are renting out, and it is possible to do the work before it is occupied, the job will not only be much more convenient, but also more efficient and less expensive. In an unoccupied house, you won t have to worry about protecting personal belongings or cleaning up every day in preparation for residents to reenter the area. 

Note for landlords Some states and localities require that lead hazard control measures be completed before property is turned over to a new tenant. For specific requirements for abatement of rental property where you live, contact your state lead program, listed in Appendix A. 

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