The goal of introducing and keeping control measures in place is to minimise the risk of adverse health effects.

All recommendations stated in the previous advice are still valid, meaning that the first step should be to perform a proper HRA. This also includes an assessment of the potential risk of the lead exposure (air sampling, dust analysis or measurements of blood lead levels). ontrol measures !hen !orking !ith "ead #ased $aint ("#$) This is an overvie! of all the control measures found in literature. %ome may not be useful for your situation, but it gives you the complete overvie! of control measures, starting !ith the most desired control measures. Activity $ainting Abrasive #lasting Control measures %ubstitution of lead based paint by paint !ithout lead &vercoating is the application of a ne! coating on top of existing coatings. This !as made possible by the design of specific overcoating products. #ecause much less of the existing "#$ is removed or disturbed during overcoating, it reduces the potential risk to !orker's health. (n most cases, areas !ith corrosion or deteriorated paint are repaired before overcoating the !hole structure. The first step of the overcoating process, !ashing the surface, is designed to remove accumulated salts and dirt, but not the intact paint coatings. Then a penetrating primer is used to coat exposed steel and rusted areas. The final step is the application of a topcoat (or coats) over the entire structure. &vercoating advantages are ()) little !aste generation or disposal* (+) no containment structure is necessary* (,) no (or very little) airborne lead generated* (-) lo!er pro.ect costs* and (/) the lead0based coating continues to provide excellent corrosion protection. The disadvantages are that the longevity of the overcoating is dependent on the 1uality of the old coatings and the "#$ may need to be removed at some later date. 2hen feasible, overcoating may be the best !ay of reducing ha3ardous lead and silica exposures during steel structure repainting and repair !ork. (t may prove to be a satisfactory alternative over the useful life of a structure. Ho!ever, overcoating cannot be used in every situation, i.e., on surfaces !ith poorly bonded old paint. Additional research is needed to develop and evaluate overcoating programs, to improve surface0tolerant coatings, and to evaluate life0cycle costs. Abrasive blasting %ubstitution of crystalline silica abrasive (4sand0blasting5) !ith a less toxic agent. %ilica has traditionally been used as a material in the abrasive blasting process. Ho!ever, because ha3ardous levels of airborne silica may occur in "#$ removal pro.ects, it is recommended

SI/HE-2 (Claudia van den Berg) July 24th 2001

not to use silica sand or other substances containing 6 ) percent free silica as abrasive blasting material. (solation 7 Automation during blasting 2elding, cutting, burning Automation is a very promising method under development for removing the !orker from the airborne lead environment. The blasting process can be automated and conducted inside an enclosure !hile !orkers are stationed safely outside. Typically, as much as 89 percent of the steel on some structures can be automatically blasted, and traditional methods could be used for the remaining areas. This technology is being tested on a limited basis and is not generally available. Remove lead based coating to at least - inches from the area !here heat !ill be applied. 2hen removal of lead0containing paint is not feasible, use engineering controls (e.g., local exhaust ventilation (":;)) to protect !orkers !ho are !elding, cutting, or burning lead0 bearing materials. %uch controls should be used to remove fumes and smoke at the source and to keep the concentration of lead in the breathing 3one belo! recommended limits. ontaminated air should be filtered before it is discharged into the environment !ell a!ay from the source of intake air and other !orkers. Replace contaminated air !ith clean air. <se !ork practices that minimise the amount of dust generated. :xamples of techni1ues include centrifugal blasting (using rotating blades to propel the abrasive, !hich is recovered and recycled), !et blasting (using high0pressure !ater !ith or !ithout an abrasive, or surrounding the blast no33le !ith a ring of !ater), and vacuum blasting (shrouding the no33le !ith local exhaust ventilation). &ther methods that reduce dust include scraping, heating and scraping, use of needle guns, and chemical removal. $o!er Tools $o!er tools can be used to sand, scrape, or chip coatings from steel structures. $o!er tools are often used to remove deteriorated paint from specified areas of a steel structure !hile leaving paint in nearby areas intact. The need to apply po!er tools firmly against the surface at all times can create !orker fatigue and musculoskeletal ha3ards, and some tools may not be able to clean irregular surfaces. Another limitation of po!er tools !hen compared to abrasive blasting is that the production rate for paint removal is much less. 2orker lead exposures up to =9 times the &ccupational :xposure "imit (&:") during use of electric !ire brushes and four times the &:" during use of pneumatic hammers (chisels) are measured. $o!er tools e1uipped !ith H:$A0filtered ":; systems, also kno!n as vacuum tools, are used to reduce !orker exposures during "#$ removal. ;acuum tools also reduce airborne lead emissions and ha3ardous !aste volume. %tudies on po!er tools indicate that vacuum tools reduce, but do not eliminate ha3ardous !orker lead exposures. >or example, airborne lead concentrations of up to )9 times the &:" have been reported for operators of vacuum needleguns. ;acuum tools are effective in controlling lead exposures !hen they are used properly. The tool must be held firmly against the surface at all times during paint removal for effective capture of lead dust. Additional research is still needed to provide ":; specifications for po!er tools, evaluate the effectiveness of ":; systems, and analyse the cost effectiveness of po!er tools !ith ":; compared to abrasive blasting !ith containment. 2et methods have been used to reduce dustiness associated !ith "#$ removal pro.ects. #oth high0pressure !ater alone and !ater mixed !ith abrasive have been used. ?ust levels are reduced by the presence of !ater. 2et methods reduce the airborne lead concentration, but not necessarily belo! the &:". ?isadvantages are that the contaminated !ater may be difficult to contain and

%urface preparation (abrasive blasting, scaling, chipping, grinding) %urface preparation (sanding, scraping, chipping)

%urface preparation (!et blasting)

SI/HE-2 (Claudia van den Berg) July 24th 2001

collect, and may be considered a ha3ardous !aste. Also, !ater0soluble rust inhibitors are often used in this process to prevent rusting* ho!ever, their long0term effectiveness !ith ne! coatings is unkno!n. %urface preparation (vacuum blasting) ;acuum blasting is a method that uses specialised abrasive blasting e1uipment e1uipped !ith ":;. The exhaust system contains and collects dust at the generation source before the dust can escape. ;acuum blasting can greatly reduce the airborne emissions and the amount of ha3ardous !astes generated. This method is safer, but less productive, than traditional open abrasive blasting, and may not be suitable for irregular surfaces. The vacuum blasting no33le must be held firmly against the !ork surface and therefore may cause !orker fatigue and musculoskeletal ha3ards. A survey of vacuum blasting found operators@ lead exposures e1ual to the &:" (&ccupational :xposure "evel). Research is needed to support consensus specifications for vacuum blast e1uipment. hemical stripping involves spraying an alkaline chemical on the painted surface, allo!ing it to react, and then scraping the decomposed paint and excess caustic from the steel surface. The surface is subse1uently rinsed !ith !ater follo!ed by 1uick abrasive blasting to remove traces of remaining paint and to establish a suitable surface profile, or anchor pattern, for repainting. "i1uid runoff and solid !astes are collected using plastic sheets under the structure. 2orker lead exposures during the chemical spraying, scraping, and rinsing at one chemical stripping site evaluated !ere belo! the &:". Ho!ever, during the abrasive blasting that follo!s, high air lead ()99 times the &:") and alkaline dust concentrations can occur. A positive factor is that the time re1uired for the 1uick abrasive blasting (and thus the total lead exposures) is reduced to about half that of normal abrasive blasting. The trade off is that the process introduces an additional chemical exposure ha3ard to the eyes, skin, and upper respiratory tract. (f the final blasting step could be eliminated by painting directly after the rinsing process, the chemical stripping process !ould be much safer. (f abrasive blasting is needed to prepare the surfaces for repainting, it may be possible to improve the rinse method to reduce the airborne lead concentrations during subse1uent blasting. ontainment structures are often used to reduce environmental contamination by capturing particles of paint and used blasting materials. Although such structures reduce environmental contamination, they may increase lead exposures for !orkers. ;entilation should be provided to reduce the airborne concentration of lead and increase visibility. ontainment structures should be designed to optimise the flo! of ventilation air past the !orker(s). (nsofar as possible, !orkers should be upstream from the blasting operation to reduce exposure to lead dust entrained in the ventilation air and to improve visibility. ?esigns for the containment structure and ventilation systems should be specific to each task because of varied conditions at the !orksite (i.e., the type of steel structure being blasted, the type of blasting methods, and the type of materials used). Aeneral dilution ventilation is used !ith some containment structures during "#$ removal operations to provide negative pressure relative to the outside and reduce dust emissions. Ho!ever, even !ith !ell0designed airflo! patterns, !orkers near the abrasive blasting !ill still have ha3ardous lead exposures. Aeneral ventilation designs and techni1ues vary greatly from site to site. Theoretically, ventilation techni1ues that provide fresh air directly to the !orker and remove air near the lead generation source could significantly reduce lead concentrations in the breathing 3one of !orkers. Ho!ever, even !ell0designed ventilation systems are difficult to implement at construction sites because !orkers are continually moving around the structures. Research is needed to optimise

%urface preparation (chemical stripping)

2ork (nside ontainment %tructures

2hole proces Aeneral ?ilution ;entilation

SI/HE-2 (Claudia van den Berg) July 24th 2001

ventilation parameters for containment structures. 2hole proces $ersonal hygiene $ersonal hygiene is an important element of any program for protecting !orkers from exposure to lead dust. Ade1uate !ashing facilities are re1uired at the !orksite, so that !orkers can remove lead particles that accumulate on the skin and hair. %ho!ers should also be available. All !orkers exposed to lead should !ash their hands and faces before eating, drinking, or smoking. Tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, che!ing tobacco, etc.) and food items should not be permitted in the !ork area. ontaminated !ork clothes should be removed before eating. 2orkers should change into !ork clothes at the !orksite. ars should be parked !here they !ill not be contaminated !ith lead. 2hole proces $ersonal $rotective :1uipment ($$:) :ngineering controls and good !ork practices should be used to minimise !orker exposure to lead. #ecause of the variable exposure concentrations, $$: should be used !henever !orkers are potentially exposed to lead. The use of $$: should supplement the continued use of engineering controls and good !ork practices. $rotective lothing 2ork clothes include disposable or !ashable coveralls. %treet clothes should be stored separately from !ork clothes in a clean area provided by the employer. %eparate lockers or storage facilities should be provided, so that clean clothing is not contaminated by !ork clothing and shoes. 2orkers should change back into their street clothes after !ashing or sho!ering and before leaving the !orksite to prevent the accumulation of lead dust in the !orkers@ cars and homes and thereby protect family members from exposure to lead. :mployers should arrange for the laundering of protective clothing* or, if disposable protective clothing is used, the employer should maintain an ade1uate supply at the !orksite and arrange for its safe disposal according to applicable regulations. #ecause !earing $$: (especially protective clothing) can contribute to the development of heat stress, regular monitoring and other preventive measures are vital. 2orkers !ho are !elding, cutting, or burning should !ear nonflammable clothing. Respiratory $rotection :ffective source control measures (such as containment or local exhaust ventilation) should be implemented to minimise !orker exposure to lead. %uch measures are preferred as the primary means of protecting !orkers* but source control at construction sites is often ineffective, and airborne lead concentrations may be high or may vary unpredictably. Therefore, respiratory protection is also necessary for certain operations such as blasting, s!eeping, and vacuuming, and for other .obs as determined at the !orksite by an industrial hygienist or other 1ualified professional. Respirators are the least preferred method of controlling lead exposure, and they should not be used as the only means of preventing or minimising exposures. The use of respirators should supplement the continued

SI/HE-2 (Claudia van den Berg) July 24th 2001

use of engineering controls and good !ork practices. 2hen respirators are used, the employer must establish a comprehensive respiratory protection program. (mportant elements of a respiratory protection program areB ()) evaluation of the !orker@s ability to perform the !ork !hile !earing a respirator, (+) regular training of personnel, (,) periodic environmental monitoring, and (-) respirator fit testing, maintenance, inspection, cleaning, and storage. The program should be evaluated regularly by the employer. 2ithout a complete respiratory protection program, !orkers !ill not receive the protection anticipated. Respirators should be selected by the person !ho is in charge of the program and kno!ledgeable about the !orkplace and the limitations associated !ith each type of respirator. #ecause exposures to lead may vary substantially throughout a !orkshift and bet!een days, the highest anticipated exposure should be used to determine the appropriate respirator for each .ob. Canufacturer@s instructions regarding 1uality of air, air pressure, and inside diameter and length of hoses must be strictly follo!ed !hen using respirators. <se of longer hoses, hoses having a smaller inside diameter, or hoses !ith kinks and bends may restrict the flo! of air to the respirator. (n all cases, respiratory protection should be donned before entering the contaminated !ork area, and it should be removed only after the !orker has left that area. Cinimum respiratory protection can be selected according to the follo!ing guidelinesB Only approved equipment should be used D "ess than or e1ual to 9./ mg7m, ()9 x &:")B Any air0purifying respirator !ith a high0efficiency particulate filter D "ess than or e1ual to ).+/ mg7m, (+/ x &:")B Any po!ered, air0purifying respirator !ith a high0efficiency particulate filter, or any supplied0air respirator e1uipped !ith a hood or helmet and operated in a continuous0flo! mode (for example, type : abrasive blasting respirators) D "ess than or e1ual to +./ mg7m, (/9 x &:")B Any air0purifying, full0facepiece respirator !ith a high efficiency particulate filter, or any po!ered, air0purifying respirator !ith a tight fitting facepiece and a high0efficiency particulate filter D "ess than or e1ual to /9 mg7m, (),999 x &:")B Any supplied0air respirator e1uipped !ith a half0mask and operated in a pressure0 demand or other positive pressure mode D "ess than or e1ual to )99 mg7m, (+,999 x &:")B Any supplied0air respirator e1uipped !ith a full face0piece and operated in a pressure0demand or other positive0pressure mode
SI/HE-2 (Claudia van den Berg) July 24th 2001 5

D Planned or emergency entry into environments containing unkno!n concentrations or concentrations above )99 mg7m , (+,999 x &:") Any self0contained breathing apparatus e1uipped !ith a full facepiece and operated in a pressure0demand or other positive0 pressure mode, or any supplied0air respirator e1uipped !ith a full face0piece and operated in a pressure0demand or other positive0 pressure mode in combination !ith an auxiliary self0contained breathing apparatus operated in a pressure0demand or other positive0 pressure mode D Firefighting. Any self0contained breathing apparatus e1uipped !ith a full facepiece and operated in a pressure0demand or other positive pressure mode D Escape only. Any air0purifying, full0facepiece respirator !ith a high0efficiency particulate filter, or any appropriate escape0type, self0 contained breathing apparatus.. leaning !orkplace Conitoring exposure levels "ead0containing dust and abrasive materials should be removed daily by using vacuums e1uipped !ith H:$A filters or by using !et methods to prevent lead0containing particles from becoming airborne. Airborne lead concentrations and blood lead concentrations should be monitored to determine the effectiveness of controls and $$:.

&ccupational :xposure "imitB

9,9/ mg7m,

#iological :xposure (ndex (lead in blood) B -99 g7l

SI/HE-2 (Claudia van den Berg) July 24th 2001