An Evaluation of Worker Lead Exposures and Cleaning Effectiveness During Removal of Deteriorated Lead-Based Paint

Details

• Personal Author:
  Ashley, Kevin E. ; Hart C ; Sussell, Aaron L. ; Wild, Deanna K.
• Description:
  We evaluated worker lead exposures and cleaning effectiveness during initial cleanup of 19th-century buildings with highly deteriorated lead-based paint. Eighteen rooms of similar size and condition in two university-owned buildings were selected for a pilot project to compare three methods for removing loose paint, paint chips, and dust. The methods used were: dry scraping followed by dry sweeping (no engineering or work practice controls); wet scraping and high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuuming; and the latter method with the addition of a portable HEPA-filtered exhaust fan in the room providing about 40 air changes per hour. The final step for all methods was wet-mopping once with tri-sodium phosphate solution. During a single day 18 rooms were cleaned; each of three two-person work crews cleaned six rooms, two with each method. Air and surface samples were collected before, during, and after cleaning. All of the methods were potentially hazardous to workers: 44 percent of the method-based exposures (range: 5.0-360 ug/m3) and one of five full-shift exposures exceeded the OSHA PEL (range 9.4-110 ug/m3). Lowest worker exposures were during the wet scraping and vacuuming method (mean: 24 ug/m3). Providing general ventilation in rooms did not reduce worker exposures and appeared to increase them (mean: 73 ug/m3). Overall, the mean floor surface lead levels were reduced 50 percent after cleaning (from 2,600 to 1,300 ug/ft2), but the effectiveness of the three methods in reducing floor lead levels did not differ significantly. Overall, the method, mean paint lead concentration, pre-cleaning surface lead concentration, and work crew were significantly associated with the mean worker exposures during cleaning (p=0.023), but not with the post-cleaning surface lead concentrations (p=0.13). [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Chemistry Chemistry, Analytic Dust Environmental Monitoring Lead Lead Poisoning Occupational Health Paint Safety
• Keywords:
  Air-samples Air-sampling Air-sampling-equipment Air-sampling-techniques Analytical-chemistry Analytical-methods Exposure-assessment Exposure-levels Exposure-methods Lead-compounds Lead-dust Lead-fumes Lead-poisoning Paints Statistical-analysis

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• ISSN:
  1047-322X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  177-185
• Volume:
  14
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20027803
• Citation:
  Appl Occup Environ Hyg 1999 Mar; 14(3):177-185
• CAS Registry Number:
  Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1999
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:094ab94ae6df467b1b447afd3fb15187345f328ef5b7fed6fb92351206d55b6de69b261f428dcdd10467917a4f171b9ac8d9ff64deb608aa0e1a9ecc563d718b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/197662/cdc_197662_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.89 MB ]