HAZARDOUS LEAD DUST – CLEARING UP THE PROBLEM IN PERTH

November 5th, 2010 § 30 comments

Calling all Perth builders, renovators, DIY enthusiasts, handymen – and handywomen – here’s some information that could save your life.

You’ve all heard of the risks and dangers of working with asbestos, but you may not know just how dangerous another common household substance can be and that’s lead. Lead exposure can be extremely harmful and can cause long-term health problems.

The most common source of lead dust is from paint in older buildings, so people in the building trade who may be demolishing, renovating or fixing up older buildings can be at real risk. Lead affects all occupants of a house, even pets, with pregnant women and younger children (generally under the age of four) mainly at risk.

Lead paint is prevalent in older homes. Up until the early seventies, lead based paint was common, and although it isn’t generally problematic if it is in good condition, the risks increase when it starts to peel, chip and crack or during building works. As lead dust is found in cavity walls, under the floorboards and in roof attics, problems occur when renovations involve breaking into the ceilings (eg adding skylights or building another storey), demolishing cavity walls etc.

When renovating or building, people are advised not to dry scrape, heat (with a blowtorch etc) or use a sanding machine on lead based paint as that can result in the formation of lead dust. It’s also possible that dust forms when lead-painted surfaces bump together, including old painted furniture. Some hardware stores in some areas do sell DIY testing kits, but when it comes to eliminating the problem, it’s best to call in the professionals and to use hazardous dust machines for lead dust extraction.

Painting over the hazard isn’t going to solve the problem. The problem has to be physically removed ie with a hazardous dust vacuum, so if you’re building, renovating or simply living in an older home, it’s best to call in the experts or make sure you have the proper equipment.

There are special vacuum machines that are designed for heavy duty work, virtually indestructible, lightweight yet sturdy. They are easily maneuverable and have features such as flexible plastic hoses suitable for use in confined spaces, such as roofs.

The growing awareness of the risks of lead dust has led to increased demand for hazardous dust machines for lead, a Perth supplier claims – plus the machines are also used in a variety of other cleaning applications such as the building industry, pharmaceutical and chemical industries and hospitals. And on the subject of hospitals, it’s interesting to note that in Australia, in nearly all of the cases where children had been admitted to hospital for treatment for lead poisoning, the lead had come from dust during home renovations – news that every builder and parent should heed.

And if you’re taking notes while you’re reading this …and you suddenly realise that you’re chewing on your LEAD pencil – relax! There is no lead in ‘lead’ pencils – the black stuff is graphite and they’re totally safe. But while your pencil is safe, your building site or old home may not be – so it’s wise to do a proper hazardous dust clean up to ensure everyone is out of harm’s way.

Tagged , , , ,

§ 30 Responses to HAZARDOUS LEAD DUST – CLEARING UP THE PROBLEM IN PERTH"

Leave a Reply