Lead Exposure for Construction

1
Lead Exposure for Construction
2
Health hazards of lead exposure

• Pure lead (Pb) is a heavy metal and a chemical
  element
• Lead can combine with other chemicals to form
  numerous lead compounds
• Lead can enter the body by inhalation and
  ingestion

1a
3
Health hazards of lead exposure

• Only a few lead compounds can be absorbed through
  the skin
• When scattered through the air as a dust, fume,
  or mist, lead can be inhaled and absorbed through
  the lungs and upper respiratory tract

1b
4
Health hazards of lead exposure

• Inhalation of airborne lead is generally the most
  important source of occupational lead absorption
• Lead also can be absorbed through the digestive
  system if it enters the mouth and is ingested

1c
5
Health hazards of lead exposure

• The lead stored in the tissues can slowly cause
  irreversible damage to
• individual cells
• organs
• whole body systems

1d
6
Health hazards of lead exposure

• Lead causes health problems and disease after
  exposure periods
• as short as days (acute exposure)
• as long as several years (chronic overexposure).

1e
7
Health hazards of lead exposure

• A short-term dose of lead exposure can lead to
  acute encephalopathy, a condition affecting the
  brain that develops quickly into
• seizures
• coma
• death from cardiorespiratory arrest

1f
8
Health hazards of lead exposure

• Central nervous system damage is one of the most
  severe forms of lead poisoning
• Long-term (chronic) overexposure to lead may
  damage the blood-forming, nervous, urinary, and
  reproductive systems

1g
9
Health hazards of lead exposure

• Read the MSDS and the containers label when you
  use any product that contains lead

1h
10
Potential for exposure

• You may be exposed to lead if you perform
  activities like
• abrasive blasting
• sanding
• scraping
• cutting
• burning
• welding
• painting

2a
11
Potential for exposure

• Operations that generate lead dust and fumes
  include
• flame-torch cutting, welding, the use of heat
  guns, sanding, scraping and grinding of lead
  painted surfaces

2b
12
Potential for exposure

• Operations that generate lead dust and fumes
  include
• abrasive blasting of bridges and other structures
  containing lead-based paints
• maintaining process equipment or exhaust duct work

2c
13
OSHAs standard on lead

• Lead includes metallic lead, all inorganic lead
  compounds, and organic lead soaps
• Applies to all construction work where an
  employee may be exposed to lead on the job

3a
14
OSHAs standard on lead

• Under the standard, construction includes the
  following
• Demolition or salvage of structures where lead or
  materials containing lead are present
• Removal or encapsulation of materials containing
  lead

3b
15
OSHAs standard on lead

• New construction, alteration, repair, or
  renovation where lead is present
• Installation of products containing lead
• Lead contamination from emergency cleanup

3c
16
OSHAs standard on lead

• Transportation, disposal, storage, or containment
  of lead or materials containing lead
• Maintenance operations associated with
  construction activities described above

3d
17
OSHAs standard on lead

• The standard includes requirements for

3e
18
OSHAs standard on lead

• Exposure limits
• Exposure assessment
• Methods of compliance
• Respiratory protection
• Protective work clothing and equipment
• Housekeeping

3f
19
OSHAs standard on lead

• Hygiene facilities and practices
• Medical surveillance
• Medical removal protection
• Employee Information and training
• Signs
• Recordkeeping
• Observation of monitoring

3g
20
OSHAs standard on lead

• Appendices that contain helpful information about
  leads hazards include
• Appendix A - Substance Data Sheet for
  Occupational Exposure to Lead
• Appendix B - Employee Standard Summary
• Appendix C - Medical Surveillance Guidelines

3h
21
Permissible exposure limit (PEL)

• The PEL is the limit of airborne lead to which
  you can be exposed
• The PEL is 50 micrograms of lead per cubic meter
  of air averaged over an 8-hour workday

4a
22
Permissible exposure limit (PEL)

• Short exposures above 50 micrograms per cubic
  meter are permitted if each 8-hour work day your
  average exposure does not exceed this level

4b
23
Permissible exposure limit (PEL)

• Daily exposure to lead can extend beyond a
  typical 8-hour workday if
• you work overtime
• have other alterations in your work schedule

4c
24
Permissible exposure limit (PEL)

• The standard contains a formula that calculates
  how much your exposure needs to be reduced when
  you are exposed more than 8 hours

4d
25
Assessing the exposure level

• Employers must make an initial determination of
  whether any employees exposure to lead exceeds
  the standards action level
• An action level is the level at which an employer
  must begin certain compliance activities

5a
26
Assessing the exposure level

• The action level is an airborne concentration of
  30 micrograms per cubic meter calculated as an
  eight-hour TWA
• Respirators are not considered when the action
  level is being assessed

5b
27
Assessing the exposure level

• Initial determination and results must be made
  available based on the following
• Any information, observation, or calculation that
  indicates employee exposure to lead
• Any previous measurements of airborne lead

5c
28
Assessing the exposure level

• Initial determination and results must be made
  available based on the following
• Any employee complaints of symptoms attributable
  to lead exposure
• Objective data regarding materials, processes, or
  operations

5d
29
Assessing the exposure level

• For the initial determination, a representative
  number of employees may be monitored

5e
30
When exposure results are not yet available

• Employers must provide protection if you are
  performing certain tasks before the results of
  the exposure assessment are known

6a
31
When exposure results are not yet available

• During certain tasks, until tests show that your
  exposure level is not above the PEL, you will
  need
• respiratory protection
• protective clothing and equipment
• change areas

6b
32
When exposure results are not yet available

• During certain tasks, until tests show that your
  exposure level is not above the PEL, you will
  need
• hand washing facilities
• biological monitoring
• training

6c
33
Monitoring requirements

• If the initial determination proves that exposure
  is below the action level
• testing does not need to be repeated unless there
  is a change in processes or controls

7a
34
Monitoring requirements

• If employee exposure is at or above the action
  level, but at or below the PEL
• air monitoring tests must be performed at least
  every six months until at least two consecutive
  measurements (taken at least seven days apart)
  are below the action level

7b
35
Monitoring requirements

• If employee exposure is above the PEL, monitoring
  must
• be performed quarterly
• continue until at least two consecutive
  measurements (taken at least seven days apart)
  are at or below the PEL

7c
36
Monitoring requirements

• Additional monitoring is needed if there are
  changes to
• equipment
• processes
• controls
• personnel
• tasks that could increase exposure

7d
37
Monitoring requirements

• Affected employees can observe monitoring
• Employers must notify you in writing within 5
  working days of the air monitoring results

7e
38
Monitoring requirements

• If the results indicate that your exposure
  exceeds the PEL, information regarding corrective
  actions must be provided

7f
39
Written compliance programs

• Compliance programs are required before starting
  any job where employee exposures may reach the
  PEL as an 8-hour TWA

8a
40
Written compliance program includes

• A description of each activity in which lead is
  emitted
• Specific plans to achieve compliance

8b
41
Written compliance program includes

• Information on the technology considered to meet
  the PEL
• Air monitoring data that documents the source of
  lead emissions

8c
42
Written compliance program includes

• A detailed schedule for implementing the program
• A work practice program
• An administrative control schedule for job
  rotation

8d
43
Written compliance program includes

• A description of arrangements made among
  contractors on multi-contractor sites to inform
  affected employees of potential lead exposure
• Any other relevant information

8e
44
Written compliance programs

• The compliance program must provide for frequent
  and regular inspections of
• job sites
• materials
• equipment

8f
45
Control measures to reduce exposures

• Employees must not be exposed to lead in excess
  of the PEL as an 8-hour TWA
• Minimize exposure through the use of engineering
  controls and work practices

9a
46
Control measures to reduce exposures

• Respirators are not to be used in lieu of
  engineering and work practices to reduce employee
  exposures
• Respirators can only be used in combination with
  engineering controls and work practices to
  control employee exposures

9b
47
Control measures to reduce exposures

• All feasible engineering controls and work
  practices must be in place if they are not
  sufficient to reduce exposure to or below the
  PEL

9c
48
Control measures to reduce exposures

• Engineering controls reduce employee exposure in
  the workplace either by
• removing or isolating the hazard
• isolating the worker from exposure through the
  use of technology

9d
49
Control measures to reduce exposures

• Work practice controls reduce the likelihood of
  exposure by altering the manner in which a task
  is performed

9e
50
Engineering controls

• Exhaust Ventilation
• Enclosure/Encapsulation
• Substitution

10a
51
Engineering controls

• Component Replacement
• Process/Equipment Modification
• Isolation

10b
52
Housekeeping as a work practice control

• Housekeeping is an important work practice
  control
• Accumulations of lead dust and lead-containing
  debris must be removed at least daily

11a
53
Housekeeping as a work practice control

• Vacuuming lead dust with filtered equipment
  (HEPA) or wetting it with water before sweeping
  are effective control measures
• Conduct cleaning operations at the end of the day

11b
54
Housekeeping as a work practice control

• Use suitable respiratory protection and personal
  protective clothing during cleanup

11c
55
Housekeeping as a work practice control

• Place lead-containing debris and contaminated
  items into
• sealed impermeable bags
• other closed impermeable containers

11d
56
Housekeeping as a work practice control

• Bags and containers should be appropriately
  labeled as lead-containing waste

11e
57
Personal hygiene as work practice controls

• Hand washing facilities must be provided where
  occupational exposure to lead occurs

12a
58
Personal hygiene as work practice controls

• Change areas, showers, and lunchrooms are to be
  made available to workers exposed to lead above
  the PEL

12b
59
Personal hygiene as work practice controls

• Lunchrooms or eating areas may not be entered
  unless you have removed any surface dust from
  your protective clothing or equipment

12c
60
Personal hygiene as work practice controls

• Change rooms must have separate storage
  facilities for your protective clothing and
  equipment and street clothes

12d
61
Personal hygiene as work practice controls

• Work clothing and protective equipment must not
  be worn away from the job site
• Where showers are not provided, employees exposed
  to lead above the PEL must wash their hands and
  face at the end of the workshift

12e
62
Administrative controls

• Administrative controls reduce employee exposure
  by removing the employee from the hazard
• If administrative controls are being used, the
  employer must establish and implement a job
  rotation schedule

13a
63
Administrative controls

• The program must
• identify each affected employee
• specify the duration and exposure level at each
  job or work station
• include other useful information
• The job rotation schedule must be included in the
  written compliance plan

13b
64
Respirator requirements

• Employers must provide respiratory protection, at
  no cost to employees, and must ensure its use
  when

14a
65
Respirator requirements

• employee exposure to lead exceeds the PEL
• engineering and work practice controls are not
  sufficient to reduce exposure levels to or
  below the PEL

14b
66
Respirator requirements

• an employee requests a respirator
• interim protection is needed for employees
  performing some tasks before exposure results
  are available

14c
67
Respirator requirements

• Respiratory protection program must be in
  accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134
• Respirators must be selected according to the
  standards Table 1

14d
68
Respirator requirements

• Employer must provide a powered-air purifying
  respirator when an employee chooses to use one
• If an employee has breathing difficulty during
  fit testing or respirator use, a medical
  examination must be performed

14e
69
Protective clothing and equipment

• Employers must provide protective work clothing
  and equipment at no cost if you are exposed to
  lead
• above the PEL as an 8-hour TWA
• compounds that can cause skin and eye irritation

15a
70
Protective clothing and equipment

• Appropriate protective work clothing and
  equipment can include
• coveralls or similar full-body work clothing
• gloves
• hats

15b
71
Protective clothing and equipment

• Appropriate protective work clothing and
  equipment can include
• shoes or disposable shoe coverlets
• face shields or vented goggles

15c
72
Protective clothing and equipment

• Clean protective clothing must be provided at
  least weekly
• Clothing must be provided daily if your airborne
  exposure to lead is greater than 200 micrograms
  per cubic meter

15d
73
Protective clothing and equipment

• Employers are responsible for repairs,
  replacement, cleaning, laundering, and disposal

15e
74
Protective clothing and equipment entering

• Change into work clothing and shoe covers in the
  clean section of the designated changing areas
• Use work garments and protective gear before
  entering the lead work area

15f
75
Protective clothing and equipment - leaving

• HEPA vacuum heavily contaminated protective work
  clothing while it is still being worn
• Remove shoe covers and disposable garments

15g
76
Protective clothing and equipment - leaving

• Leave shoe covers in the lead work area where
  they will be collected for disposal
• Remove protective clothing and gear in the dirty
  area of the designated changing area

15h
77
Protective clothing and equipment - leaving

• Remove reusable protective coveralls by carefully
  rolling down the garment to reduce your exposure
  to dust
• Remove respirators last
• Wash hands and face

15i
78
Protective clothing and equipment - leaving

• Where applicable, place disposable coveralls and
  shoe covers with the abatement waste
• Contaminated clothing which is to be cleaned,
  laundered or disposed of must be placed in closed
  containers in the change room

15j
79
Protective clothing and equipment - leaving

• Clean protective gear, including respirators,
  according to standard procedures
• Wash hands and face again.

15k
80
Protective clothing and equipment - leaving

• If showers are available, take a shower and wash
  your hair
• If shower facilities are not available at the
  work site, shower immediately at home

15l
81
Protective clothing and equipment

• Containers of contaminated clothing must be
  labeled with the following warning

15m
82
Protective clothing and equipment

• Inform the people who are responsible for
  handling or laundering contaminated clothing in
  writing about the potential hazards

15n
83
Warning signs

• Post the following warning sign in work areas
  where the exposure to lead exceeds the PEL

16a
84
Warning signs

• All signs must be well lit and kept clean so that
  they are easily visible

16b
85
Medical surveillance

• Medical surveillance program supplements the
  procedures that minimize exposure to lead
• Medical surveillance determines if the other
  provisions of the standard have protected the
  workers

17a
86
Medical surveillance

• Medical surveillance involves having periodic
  blood tests and may also include medical
  examinations
• The frequency of the testing depends on your
  exposure, and previous blood test results

17b
87
Medical surveillance

• The provision for having medical examinations
  depends on
• your exposure
• blood test results
• the development of symptoms of overexposure

17c
88
Medical surveillance

• Blood sampling
• Medical exams
• Multiple physician review
• Chelation

17d
89
Medical removal protection benefits

• Medical removal protects worker health by
• stopping further occupational exposure
• enabling the worker to excrete the absorbed lead
  naturally

18a
90
Medical removal protection benefits

• Employers must remove employees with lead
  exposure at or above the action level each time

18b
91
Medical removal protection benefits

• a periodic and follow-up blood sampling test
  indicates a blood lead level at or above 50
  micrograms per deciliter
• a final medical determination indicates a
  detected medical condition that increases health
  risks from lead exposure

18c
92
Medical removal protection benefits

• Employers must provide up to 18 months of medical
  removal protection benefits each time an employee
  is removed from lead exposure

18d
93
Medical removal protection benefits

• As long as the position/job exists, the employer
  must maintain the
• earnings
• seniority
• other employment rights and benefits

18e
94
Medical removal protection benefits

• Employers must return employees to their former
  job status when
• two consecutive blood sampling tests indicate a
  blood lead level is at or below 40 micrograms per
  deciliter for employees removed due to a blood
  lead level at or above 50 micrograms per deciliter

18f
95
Medical removal protection benefits

• Employers must return employees to their former
  job status when
• a subsequent final medical determination
  indicates there is no longer a detected medical
  condition that increases health risks from lead
  exposure

18g
96
Medical removal protection benefits

• If a removed employee files a workers
  compensation claim for a lead-related disability,
  employers must continue medical removal
  protection benefits pending the disposition of
  the claim

18h
97
Medical removal protection benefits

• When the multiple physicians review has not yet
  resulted in a final medical determination, the
  employer must

18i
98
Medical removal protection benefits

• remove employees from lead exposure
• provide special protective measures
• place limitations on employees

18j
99
Medical removal protection benefits

• return employees to their former job status
• end special protective measures
• remove limitations

18k
100
Recordkeeping

• Employers must establish and maintain an accurate
  record of
• all required monitoring and other data used to
  conduct employee exposure assessments

19a
101
Recordkeeping

• Employers must establish and maintain an accurate
  record of
• any objective data relied on to determine initial
  exposure if it was used in lieu of exposure
  monitoring for exposure assessment purposes

19b
102
Recordkeeping

• Employers must establish and maintain an accurate
  record of
• information and medical records for each employee
  subject to medical surveillance
• each employee subject to medical removal

19c
103
Recordkeeping

• Employer must make all records available upon
  request to
• affected employees
• former employees designated representatives

19d