How We Protect Your Family

Lead Paint Test

Before we begin work, we test the paint with Lead Check Strips.  If we find anything unusual, we may submit paint chip samples for further analysis.

Onsite Inspection

Our supervisors regularly inspect the work site, materials and equipment.  We have provided them with a lead hazard checklist which they are expected to fill out for each project and check-off visually on a daily basis.  HEPA vacuums, for example, are inspected before and during each job, and decontaminated at the end of the day.   

Clean Work Area

We keep the work area as free as possible from lead contamination through regular cleaning by wet methods or vacuuming with a special High Efficiency Particle (HEPA) vacuum.   Where lead is present, we do not dry sweep as this only spreads the lead around.  We clean up the job site area and equipment at the end of each day to prevent lead dust accumulations. We dispose of the waste in a plastic bag.

Dust Control

Sanding and scraping are activities which can spread lead dust.  To prevent the emission of lead dust during these activities, we may use sanders attached to the HEPA vacuums.  And we may wet surfaces with mist prior to and during scraping.

Job Site Protection

We use a polyethylene plastic sheeting to isolate the lead from non-work area locations.  This plastic sheeting is also used to prevent soil and environmental contamination.   Outside, we cover the ground, plants, and immovable obstructions with plastic.  Inside we tape plastic sheeting over window and door openings and on the surrounding ground area to collect fallen chips so we may dispose of them.

Hazard Signs

In each work area where lead paint is being sanded, stripped, or there are other surface preparations that could generate lead dust, the supervisor will post a warning sign with the words:  

WARNING

LEAD WORK AREA

POISON

NO SMOKING OR EATING

How We Protect Our Family

Lead Safety / Respiratory Training

We require lead safety training for all of our painters so that they are aware of how to protect themselves. Our painters have received respiratory training and wear lead safe respirators when working with the HEPA vacuums, sanding, or scraping.

Protective Clothes

When working in lead hazardous conditions they wear protective coveralls.  These are removed before eating lunch and disposed of at the end of the day.  The painters also have other forms of protective clothing, including goggles and gloves. 

Lead Testing

We conduct personal industrial hygiene air sampling at representative locations for jobs where lead exposure is likely or has been determined to be present.  We test our painters for lead exposure every six months using the services of Readicare Medical Surveillance.

Lead-Safe Hygiene

Our painters wash their hands, face and arms with water and soap before breaks, lunch and at the end of a shift.  The painters also eat lunch and take breaks away from the work area.

For more information on steps you can take to insure lead-safety, refer to our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page.