Lead Safe Work Practices
We take Lead Safe work practices seriously and all our staff are trained to the highest levels for dealing with this issue. But why is it a problem? Here’s some information that explains why we take this so seriously:
About half of homes built before 1978 have lead-based paint. The likelihood of finding lead-based paint increases with the age of the home:
- Two out of three of homes built between 1940 and 1960 have lead-based paint.
- Nine out of ten homes built before 1940 have lead-based paint.
Lead-based paint may be found on any surface in the home—inside or outside. When lead-based paint is disturbed during renovation, repair or painting activities, dangerous amounts of lead dust can be created. Jobs such as demolition, window replacement, opening up walls, etc., can also release accumulated lead dust into the home. Even after a typical renovation cleanup, dangerous levels of lead dust can remain.
Lead gets into the body when it is swallowed or breathed.
- People, especially children, can swallow lead dust as they eat, play, and perform other ordinary hand-to-mouth activities.
- People may also breathe in lead dust or fumes while they work on jobs that sand, scrape, burn, brush, blast or otherwise disturb painted surfaces that contain lead paint.
- Additionally, pets may be poisoned by the same types of exposure to lead.
Once in the body, lead can have significant effects on human health.
- In children, lead poisoning damages the nervous system and causes developmental and behavioural problems that can affect them for their lifetime.
- In adults, lead poisoning causes health and reproductive problems. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable to the effects of lead. Research has shown that general residential renovation activities are associated with an increased risk of elevated lead levels in children.
Why not contact us today and speak to us about how we can help you in the Commercial Painting area? We’re experts in our field and look forward to seeing how we can help you.
